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By Lizzy Chirkpi
The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the six-month suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, describing the action taken by the Senate as excessive and constitutionally harmful to her constituents.
Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Binta Nyako held that the Senate overreached its powers when it suspended the lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District for violating internal seating rules during plenary.
The court ruled that while the Senate President reserves the right to assign seats, the punishment imposed on the Kogi lawmaker was not only disproportionate but also deprived the people of Kogi Central of representation in the Red Chamber.
“The six‑month suspension has deprived her constituents of representation and denied them the benefit of her legislative duties,” Justice Nyako stated.
The court ordered the Senate to recall the embattled senator with immediate effect and urged the review of existing Senate Standing Rules and relevant sections of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, which the judge described as “overreaching.”
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension stemmed from a heated incident during plenary in February 2025, when she addressed the Senate while seated in a different location than the one assigned to her by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The incident quickly escalated into a confrontation, with Akpoti-Uduaghan publicly accusing Akpabio of abuse of power and sexual harassment allegations which the Senate President has denied.
On March 4, the Federal High Court issued an interim order restraining the Senate from taking disciplinary action against her.
However, just two days later, the Senate defied the court and voted to suspend her for six months. Her office was sealed, and her salary and allowances were halted.
In response, the senator filed a contempt charge against the Senate President and other principal officers, accusing them of “deliberate and contumacious” disobedience of court orders.
On March 7, 2025, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had publicly condemned her suspension, describing it as unjust and illegal.
In a Facebook post, she stated, “Against the culture of silence, intimidation, and victim-shaming, my unjust suspension from the Nigerian Senate invalidates the principles of natural justice, fairness, and equity. The illegal suspension does not withdraw my legitimacy as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and I will continue to use my duly elected position to serve my constituents and country to the best of my ability till 2027 and beyond.”
With the court’s decision now public, the Senate is expected to issue a formal letter reinstating Akpoti-Uduaghan and restoring her legislative privileges. Any delay in her recall could lead to further legal entanglements, including enforcement of the contempt proceedings.
There is no official statement yet from Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan or her legal team. Also the Senate President nor the Senate’s legal team is yet to react on whether they intend to appeal the ruling.
This judgment sends a clear message that while parliamentary decorum and internal rules are necessary, they must not override constitutional rights or be weaponized against dissenting voices.