Senate outlines conditions for reinstating Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan after court ruling

The Senate has announced it will set specific conditions for the reinstatement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, following a court ruling that nullified her suspension.

On Friday, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja declared the six-month suspension of the Kogi Central senator as excessive and ordered the Senate to reverse the decision. The suspension was imposed in March 2025 after a confrontation between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio regarding seating arrangements.

The conflict deepened when Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan publicly accused Akpabio of suspending her in retaliation for rejecting his alleged sexual advances — an allegation the Senate President has strongly denied.

In her suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan challenged the legality of her suspension. Delivering judgment, Justice Nyako criticized aspects of the Senate Standing Rules and the Legislative Houses, Powers & Privileges Act, describing them as overreaching.

While the court ordered her reinstatement, the Senate has stated that it will require the PDP senator to meet certain conditions before she can fully return to her legislative duties. Details of these conditions have yet to be disclosed.