SERAP Urges Senate President Akpabio to Obey Court Order, Reinstate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on Senate President Godswill Akpabio to comply with a Federal High Court ruling and immediately reinstate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, whose six-month suspension has been declared unconstitutional.

The demand follows last Friday’s ruling by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which nullified the Senate’s suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan, describing it as unlawful and a breach of the Nigerian Constitution and international legal obligations.

In a statement released Tuesday, SERAP condemned the senator’s suspension as a “blatant violation of the rule of law” and called for her full reinstatement, including the restoration of her legislative privileges and rights.

“Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan should never have been suspended. The Senate leadership must respect the rule of law and obey the court order without delay,” SERAP declared.

Justice Nyako ruled that the suspension not only violated the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act but also denied the people of Kogi Central their right to representation in the Senate. She urged the Senate to revise its disciplinary procedures to align with democratic and constitutional principles.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had sued Senate President Akpabio, the Senate, and others, arguing that her suspension—reportedly triggered by her sexual harassment accusation against Akpabio—was punitive and procedurally flawed.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension occurred in March 2025 during a closed-door session after she reportedly defied a seating reassignment and accused the Senate President of misconduct.

Her case is one of the most high-profile legal battles involving a sitting senator and has drawn significant public interest due to its implications for legislative transparency and human rights in Nigeria.

While the court ruled in her favor on reinstatement, it also found Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of contempt. The senator had posted a satirical apology on Facebook in April, violating an earlier court order prohibiting public comments on the case.

As a result, she was fined ₦5 million and ordered to publish a formal apology in two national newspapers and on her Facebook page within seven days.

Justice Nyako ruled that the post was directly related to the ongoing legal proceedings, contrary to claims by her legal team that it referred to unrelated allegations.