The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the immediate reinstatement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the lawmaker representing Kogi Central, who was suspended from the Senate for six months.
In a judgment delivered by Justice Binta Nyako, the court ruled that the suspension imposed by the Senate was excessive and unconstitutional. The court held that the Senate overreached its powers as outlined in Chapter 8 of its Standing Rules and Section 14 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act. It emphasized that neither of the legal provisions clearly stated the maximum duration for which a serving lawmaker could be suspended.
Justice Nyako pointed out that since the National Assembly typically sits for 181 days in a legislative year, a six-month suspension effectively stripped Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan of the ability to represent her constituents for nearly the entire session. The court noted that while the Senate does have authority to discipline its members, any sanctions imposed must not be so severe that they infringe upon the rights of citizens to representation.
However, the court also upheld Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s decision to deny Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan the right to speak during plenary, stating that she was not seated in the officially designated seat assigned to her at the time.
Furthermore, Justice Nyako dismissed Akpabio’s argument that the matter was an internal affair of the Senate and therefore outside the court’s jurisdiction. The judge ruled that the court was fully competent to adjudicate the case.
Despite ruling in favor of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s reinstatement, the court imposed a monetary penalty on her for breaching an earlier court order that barred all parties from making public statements related to the ongoing legal proceedings.
