Court lifts Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Senate suspension but fines her N5m for contempt

The court described her six-month suspension by the Senate as excessive.

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, ordered the Senate to recall Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from suspension.

Delivering judgment on her suit challenging the disciplinary action taken against her in March, the judge, Binta Nyako, described her six-month suspension as “excessive.”

But the judge awarded a fine of N5 million against Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan for her “satirical apology” post on her Facebook page on 27 April.

The judge ruled that social media post was made in disobedience of a valid court order prohibiting parties to the suit from making comments to the press or on social media regarding the subject matter of the pending suit.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the judge, therefore, ordered Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan to tender an unreserved apology in two national dailies and on her Facebook page within seven days of the judgement to purge herself of the contemptuous act against the court.

Ms Akpoti-Uduaghan filed the suit on 3 March, initially, to halt an investigation by the Senate and its Committee on Ethics into alleged misconduct stemming from Senate proceedings where she had an altercation with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over her assigned seat.

She sued the Clerk of the Senate, the Senate, Senate President Akpabio and Neda Imasuem, who is the chairperson, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Code of Conduct.

Despite the suit and the initial restraining order issued by the former judge Obiora Egwuatu asking the Senate to stay action on its disciplinary proceedings, the Senate proceeded to suspend her on 6 March for six months.

Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a contempt complaint against Mr Akpabio and other relevant Senate officers for disobeying the order halting the disciplinary action against her.

As the case progressed in court, the matter continued to stir up public commentaries in the media prompting Mr Akpabio to urge the court to bar parties to the suit to speak to the press or share social media posts about the matter.

However,  late last month, Mrs Akpoti-Natasha mocked Mr Akpabio with a satirical apology posted on her official Facebook page.

In the aftermath of the post, Mr Akpabio’s legal team filed an application in court, accusing Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan of breaching the gag order banning interviews and such a social media post while the case in court lasted.

However, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan countered the application, urging the court to dismiss it.

The matter has attracted both local and international media attention, further intensified by Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations of sexual harassment against Mr Akpabio. The Senate dismissed her sexual harassment petitions on two occasions, while Mr Akpabio vehemently denied the charge.