The Federal High Court in Abuja has upheld the authority of the Nigerian Senate to discipline its members for unethical conduct, while also imposing a ₦5 million fine on Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for contempt of court.
In a judgment delivered on Friday, Justice Binta Nyako ruled that, according to the Senate’s internal regulations, the Senate President has the power to assign seats to members, and senators are only permitted to speak from their designated positions.
The court determined that Senator Natasha violated this rule by attempting to contribute during the February 20 plenary while not seated in her assigned place.
Justice Nyako affirmed that the Senate has the constitutional right to suspend members over misconduct. However, she advised the legislative body to review the duration of Senator Natasha’s suspension, urging it to consider her reinstatement to allow her representational duties to continue.
At the same time, the court found Senator Natasha in civil contempt for breaching a prior court order dated April 4, which prohibited public commentary on an ongoing legal case. Despite the order, the senator published a satirical open letter on her Facebook page on April 27.
As a result, the court ordered Senator Natasha to pay a ₦5 million fine to the Federal Government and issue a public apology. The apology is to be published in two national newspapers and on her Facebook page within seven days. Since the contempt was in a civil context, Justice Nyako ruled that the senator would not face imprisonment.
The ruling underscores the Senate’s autonomy in managing its internal affairs while reiterating the judiciary’s commitment to upholding respect for court processes.
