Court Orders Akpoti-Uduaghan Return to Senate

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the immediate reinstatement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, declaring her six-month suspension from the Senate as excessive and unconstitutional.

In a judgment delivered by Justice Binta Nyako, the court faulted the Senate’s action, ruling that the suspension was not only disproportionate but also infringed on the rights of the senator’s constituents to representation.

The court took particular aim at Chapter 8 of the Senate Standing Rules and Section 14 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, stating that both fail to define a reasonable limit for how long an elected legislator can be barred from parliamentary duties. Justice Nyako emphasized that given that the National Assembly has only 181 sitting days in a legislative year, suspending a senator for six months effectively sidelines them for nearly the entire period.

While acknowledging that the Senate has the authority to discipline its members, the court ruled that such punishment must be proportionate and must not undermine democratic representation. “The people of Kogi Central cannot be left without a voice in the Senate,” the judge stated.

However, the court backed Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s decision to deny Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan the right to speak on the Senate floor during plenary, citing that she was not seated in her assigned position at the time. The judge also dismissed Akpabio’s argument that the case was an internal matter of the Senate and therefore outside the court’s jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, the court imposed a fine on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for breaching an earlier order that barred public commentary on the ongoing legal proceedings. She was also ordered to issue a formal apology to the court in two national newspapers within seven days.