Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan failed to attend Tuesday’s plenary because of security reports, it was gathered.
Natasha was believed to have jettisoned the plan to attend the Senate plenary because of a secret plan to arrest and detain her.
It was gathered that the police planned to arrest her for contempt of court if she stepped into the Senate premises.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, was suspended for six months for alleged misconduct in March.
She, however, blamed her suspension on her alleged refusal to yield to a sexual advance by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Akpabio has since denied the allegation, while his wife, Nnoma Akpabio, sued Akpoti-Uduaghan for defamation, claiming damages.
However, Akpoti-Uduaghan had also dragged the Senate to court to quash her suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan challenged her suspension in court in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025.
In her judgment, Justice Nyako faulted the provisions of Chapter Eight of the Senate Standing Rules and Section 14 of the Legislative Houses, Powers & Privileges Act, declaring both overreaching.
The court stressed that the two legislations failed to specify the maximum period a serving lawmaker could be suspended from office.
Justice Nyako stated that while the Senate had the authority to discipline its members, such disciplinary actions must not strip citizens of representation in the National Assembly.
She noted that since the Senate was constitutionally required to sit for only 181 days in a legislative year, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s 180-day suspension denied the people of Kogi Central effective participation in national governance.
“The court is not saying that the Senate lacks the power to sanction a member. However, such sanctions must not negate the constitutional right of constituents to be represented in parliament,” Justice Nyako ruled.
The court, however, found Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of contempt over a satirical apology she posted on her Facebook page on April 27.
Justice Nyako held that after reviewing the post and the application instituted by the third respondent, she was satisfied that they were linked to the suspension matter before the court and, therefore, found the plaintiff guilty of contempt.
The judge ordered Akpoti-Uduaghan to publish an apology in two national dailies and on her Facebook page within seven days. She also imposed a fine of N5million.
However, the court’s ruling has been subjected to varying interpretations, with some claiming that it has quashed Natasha’s suspension and ordered her reinstatement.
Others claim that the judge did not make any such order but only offered an opinion.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had told some of her jubilant supporters in a video trending on social media that she would resume her legislative activities in the Red Chamber on Tuesday.
She thanked her constituents for standing by her, following the favourable court judgment reaffirming her position in the Senate.
However, an investigation by The Nation revealed that Akpoti-Uduaghan aborted her planned resumption of plenary on Tuesday following intelligence purportedly made available to her by a colleague, intimating her of plans to arrest her should she attempt to show up at the Senate.
According to the source, the message said to have been forwarded to Akpoti-Uduaghan reads: “Senator Natasha Will Attempt To Force Her Way Into The Senate Chamber 8th Tuesday, 2025
“Opinion: She wants to be arrested!? She will get it! She’ll be charged with contempt of court. No bail. And made to sleep with mosquitoes and cockroaches!”
According to our source, the Senate, through its counsel, Paul Daudu SAN, had written to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s counsel, J.S. Okutekpa SAN, to prevail on her client not to carry out her threat to attend the Senate plenary in violation of a suspended suspension.
The letter dated 5th July 2025 was allegedly addressed to “The Principal Partner, J.S. Okutekpa, SAN & Co. Legal Practitioners, Abuja, FCT, Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, the Senate commenced the legislative process to strengthen in-house rules on disciplinary measures against erring Senators.
The move comes five days after Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja questioned the use of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act in suspending Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months, noting that the Act does not specify such a penalty.
To address this legal gap, the Senate passed an amendment bill sponsored by Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan (APC, Borno Central) for first reading on Tuesday.
The bill, titled “Re-Tightening Disciplinary Measures Against Erring Members and Other Related Matters,” aims to introduce precise specifications for disciplinary actions against lawmakers.
In a telephone interview with journalists, Senator Lawan explained that the amendment seeks to fine-tune existing Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act provisions by clearly stating the duration and scope of disciplinary measures.
