Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Appeals Judgement Fine 

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed an appeal to challenge the N5 million contempt fine imposed on her by Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court  

The fine was part of a judgment delivered on July 4, 2025, which also ordered the senator to publish a public apology on two national dailies and on her Facebook page.

In her grounds of appeal, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan argues that the trial judge adopted a flawed procedure in adjudging her liable for contempt without complying with statutory requirements under the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act.

She further claims that the N5 million fine imposed on her is excessive and punitive, and violated the procedure in civil proceedings and wants the order made by the Federal High Court set aside.

She also wants the Court of Appeal to declare that her satirical apology letter did not amount to contempt of the court orders.

According to the certified true copy of the Federal High Court judgement seen by AIT, the court held “That having found that the Plaintiff acted in breach of this court’s subsisting order, the Plaintiff must take responsibility for her action and remedy the same. Thus, an order is hereby made for the Plaintiff to pay a fine in the sum of N5 Million to the Federal Government Treasury and to publish a public apology to the court in two (2) National Dailies and on her Facebook page within 7 days of today to purge herself of the contempt”.

Another part reads “That I am of the opinion that the senate has the power to review the provisions of the Senate Rules and can even amend Section 14(2) of the Legislative Houses (Powers & Privileges)Act both for being excessive and over reaching”.

“That the Senate has the power to and I believe should recall the Plaintiff and allow her to resume representing the people who sent her there to represent them”.

No date has however been fixed for hearing of the appeal.