The Nigerian Senate has come under fire following revelations that its leadership has allegedly misrepresented a court ruling in a bid to justify the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
According to the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Federal High Court judgment delivered by Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako on July 4, 2025, the court found Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan in contempt—specifically, contempt of court.
The ruling mandated that she issue a formal apology to the court, not the Senate, and pay a ₦5 million fine. Furthermore, the court ordered that this apology be published in two national newspapers and on the senator’s Facebook page within seven days.
Despite this clear directive, Senate spokesperson Senator Adeyemi Adaramodu publicly claimed that an apology to the Senate was a prerequisite for Akpoti-Uduaghan’s reinstatement. Legal observers and civil society leaders have condemned this statement as a distortion of the court’s judgment and an unlawful attempt to delay compliance.
Executive Director of Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Okechukwu Nwanguma, criticised the Senate’s position, describing it as a “twisting of facts to sustain illegality.”
He emphasised that the judgment reaffirmed Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s constitutional right to represent the people of Kogi Central and ordered her immediate recall to resume her duties.
“The Senate’s actions,” said Nwanguma, “represent a troubling disregard for judicial authority and a misuse of legislative power to further a political vendetta—especially against a female senator who dared to stand against institutional abuse.”
He called on the Senate to comply with the judgment without “distortion or delay,” warning that Nigerians are watching closely and that the rule of law must triumph over political arrogance.
The unfolding events have sparked a national conversation on the integrity of democratic institutions and the Senate’s commitment to the rule of law.
