The Federal High Court in Abuja has found Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of contempt and imposed a ₦5 million fine for violating a court order with a satirical Facebook post aimed at Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Justice Binta Nyako delivered the ruling on Friday during proceedings on the senator’s lawsuit challenging her suspension from the Senate.

The contempt charge arose from an April 27, 2025, Facebook post by Akpoti-Uduaghan, which Akpabio argued contravened a standing court directive barring all parties from making media or social media comments related to the ongoing case. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team argued the post was unrelated to the suspension proceedings and instead referenced separate sexual harassment allegations involving Akpabio.

However, Justice Nyako ruled that the content of the post, upon close examination, was connected to the suspension matter pending before the court. She held that the senator’s actions amounted to a breach of the court’s directive and constituted contempt. “The post, though satirical, was clearly linked to the subject matter before the court,” the judge stated.

In addition to the fine, the court ordered Akpoti-Uduaghan to publish a formal apology in two national newspapers and repost the apology on her Facebook page within seven days. The ruling marks a significant turn in the legal tussle between the senator and the Senate leadership, as tensions continue over the controversial suspension.