The Federal High Court in Abuja has found Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central guilty of contempt of court, imposing a ₦5 million fine and ordering her to issue a public apology over a Facebook post deemed to have violated a court order.

Justice Binta Nyako, delivering the ruling on Friday, said the senator’s April 27, 2025 satirical apology to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, posted on her verified Facebook page, breached an earlier order prohibiting all parties from making public statements or social media commentary related to the ongoing suspension case before the court.

The ruling followed a contempt application filed by Akpabio, who argued that the senator’s post was intended to mock and influence the ongoing court proceedings regarding her March 6 suspension from the Senate.

While Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team claimed the post referred to a separate issue involving allegations of sexual harassment and not the court case, Justice Nyako said the content, timing, and context of the post linked it directly to the matter at hand.

“I find the plaintiff guilty of contempt,” Justice Nyako ruled, ordering the senator to publish a formal apology in two national newspapers and on her Facebook page within seven days, in addition to paying the ₦5 million fine.

The senator is also facing two additional lawsuits in Abuja over cybercrime and defamation, compounding her legal troubles amid a long-running political feud with Senate President Akpabio.

The tension between both lawmakers peaked after a February 20, 2025 seat allocation conflict in the Senate chamber. Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of sexual harassment and abuse of office, prompting her suspension on March 6 and sparking nationwide debate.

Though the Senate dismissed her petition on March 5, citing procedural lapses, the female senator resubmitted the complaint the following day. She also filed a ₦100 billion defamation suit against Akpabio.

This is not the first public clash between the two. In July 2024, Akpabio had issued an apology over a nightclub remark he made against the senator during a Senate session.

With this latest judgment, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal and political battles show no signs of slowing down as she remains entangled in high-stakes court proceedings and power struggles within the National Assembly.