The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the six-month suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan by the Nigerian Senate, declaring the action unconstitutional and ordering her immediate reinstatement.
Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Binta Nyako held that the Senate exceeded its legal authority by imposing a lengthy suspension without clear statutory backing. The court ruled that while legislative bodies may discipline their members, such sanctions must not infringe on the right of constituents to be represented in the National Assembly.
Justice Nyako observed that the suspension, which nearly matched the minimum number of sitting days in a legislative year, effectively denied the people of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s constituency their voice in the Senate—a move deemed excessive and undemocratic.
The court found that the relevant legislative rules cited by the Senate did not specify a limit for suspension duration, rendering the six-month term overreaching and without lawful justification.
However, the court also ruled that Senate President Godswill Akpabio did not violate the senator’s rights when he barred her from speaking on the Senate floor for not occupying her assigned seat. That specific action, the judge noted, did not amount to a breach of procedure or fundamental rights.
In a separate ruling, the court imposed a monetary sanction on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for violating an earlier judicial order that restrained both parties from commenting publicly on the matter while the case was ongoing.
The judgment marks a significant reinforcement of judicial oversight over legislative conduct, affirming the role of the courts in protecting constitutional rights and ensuring elected officials remain accountable to the electorate.
