The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, ordered the Senate to recall Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from suspension.
Delivering judgment on her suit challenging the disciplinary action taken against her in March, the judge, Binta Nyako, described her six-month suspension as “excessive.”
But the judge awarded a fine of N5 million against Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan for her “satirical apology” post on her Facebook page on 27 April.
The judge ruled that social media post was made in disobedience of a valid court order prohibiting parties to the suit from making comments to the press or on social media regarding the subject matter of the pending suit.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that, the judge, therefore, ordered Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan to tender an unreserved apology in two national dailies and on her Facebook page within seven days of the judgement before to purge herself of the contemptuous act against the court.
Ms Akpoti-Uduaghan filed the suit on 3 March, initially, to halt an investigation by the Senate and its Committee on Ethics into alleged misconduct stemming from Senate proceedings where she had an altercation with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over her assigned seat.
She sued the Clerk of the Senate, the Senate, Senate President Akpabio and Neda Imasuem, who is the chairperson, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Code of Conduct.
Despite the suit and the initial restraining order issued by the former judge Obiora Egwuatu asking the Senate to stay action on its disciplinary proceedings, the Senate proceeded to suspend her on 6 March for six months.
