Court of Appeal has overturned the N5 million fine and apology order earlier imposed on Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in connection with contempt proceedings linked to her six-month suspension from the Senate.
Gatekeepers News reports that in its judgment delivered on Monday, February 9, 2026, the appellate court ruled that the entire contempt process was flawed due to failure to follow proper legal procedures.
The court held that mandatory court documents, known as Forms 48 and 49, were not properly served on the senator, making the proceedings invalid from the beginning.
The court stated that this procedural failure rendered the contempt case incompetent and legally defective, leading to the decision to rule fully in favour of Akpoti-Uduaghan.
As a result, the justices set aside both the N5 million fine and the directive ordering her to issue a public apology, effectively bringing the contempt matter to an end.
The appeal formed part of the wider legal dispute surrounding the senator’s six-month suspension, a decision that has continued to generate strong reactions across the country.
Legal experts, civil society organisations, and political analysts have questioned the legality of the suspension, arguing that it amounts to excessive use of legislative power and denies the people of Kogi Central their right to proper representation.
