Nigeria’s Court of Appeal has cancelled a ₦5m (£4,000) fine and an order compelling Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to apologise, in a ruling that adds a new twist to the legal dispute over her six-month suspension from the Senate.
Delivering its judgment on Monday, the appellate court ruled that the contempt proceedings against the Kogi Central lawmaker were legally defective because key procedural requirements were not followed.
The appellate court ruled that the failure to properly serve required legal notices – known as Forms 48 and 49 – rendered the entire contempt process invalid from the outset.
As a result, the court set aside the fine imposed on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and cancelled the order directing her to issue a public apology, effectively bringing the contempt matter to an end in her favour.
Reacting to the ruling, sources close to the senator’s legal team described it as a strong affirmation of due process and the rule of law.
“The Court of Appeal has once again reinforced the principle that no authority is above the law,” one source said. “Where due process is ignored, the outcome cannot stand.”
Supporters of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan say the judgment strengthens her ongoing challenge to the suspension and could have wider implications for how disciplinary powers are exercised within Nigeria’s legislature.
The Senate is yet to issue an official response to the latest ruling.
