The Federal High Court in Abuja has found Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, guilty of contempt over a Facebook post described as a satirical apology.
Delivering the ruling on Friday, Justice Binta Nyako held that the post, made on April 27, violated an existing court order restraining all parties from making public comments or social media posts related to the senator’s suspension case. The contempt proceedings were initiated by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Akpabio argued that the Facebook post breached the court’s directive, but Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team maintained that the content was unrelated to the suspension matter and instead referred to a separate issue involving sexual harassment allegations against the Senate President.
However, Justice Nyako ruled that the post was indeed connected to the suspension proceedings before the court and found Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of contempt.
The judge ordered her to publish a public apology in two national newspapers and on her Facebook page within seven days. She also imposed a fine of N5 million.
