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By Lizzy Chirkpi
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Monday upheld the Nigerian Senate’s authority to suspend Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, ruling that the upper chamber acted within its constitutional powers when it disciplined the lawmaker representing Kogi Central for alleged misconduct.
In a unanimous judgement delivered by Justice Abba Muhammed, a three-member panel of the appellate court held that neither Akpoti-Uduaghan’s parliamentary privileges nor her fundamental rights were breached by the suspension, dismissing her contention that the punitive measure violated her constitutional protections.
The court’s decision overturned an earlier Federal High Court ruling that had described the six-month suspension as excessive and a violation of her constituents’ right to representation.
The controversy began during a plenary session on 20 February 2025, when Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan openly resisted a seating reassignment ordered by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, arguing that it was intended to marginalise her as an opposition lawmaker.
The disagreement quickly escalated, with Akpoti-Uduaghan refusing to move to her newly assigned seat and engaging in a heated exchange with the Senate leadership. The Senate ruled that her conduct amounted to “gross misconduct” and unruly behaviour, including speaking without being recognised and defying Senate rules on decorum and seating arrangements.
Following this, the Senate’s Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions recommended a six-month suspension from all legislative activities, the withdrawal of her security details, and other punitive measures. During the suspension, her office was locked and she was barred from attending the National Assembly complex.
The rift deepened when Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of sexual harassment and abuse of office, claims he has consistently denied. The allegation drew national and international attention and intensified political tensions around the disciplinary action against her.
Delivering the lead verdict, Justice Muhammed supported the Senate’s argument that “its internal procedures and disciplinary powers fall within its legislative mandate.” The judge noted that the Senate President was within his rights to manage plenary proceedings, including allocating speaking opportunities, and no breach occurred when Akpoti-Uduaghan was denied the floor because she was not in the seat officially assigned to her during the 20 February session.
On the controversial contempt proceedings and the associated ₦5 million fine imposed by the lower court over a satirical apology she made to the Senate President, the Court of Appeal vacated both the conviction and the fine, agreeing with Akpoti-Uduaghan’s appeal that the sanction was unwarranted in the circumstances.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had challenged her suspension on the grounds that it deprived her constituents of effective representation and violated legislative norms. The Federal High Court had previously described the suspension as excessive and partially ruled in her favour, but also found her guilty of contempt for a satirical apology she posted online and ordered her to pay a fine rulings she appealed.
The appellate court’s ruling thus represents an important development in the ongoing legal battle over the boundaries of legislative discipline and judicial oversight in Nigeria, leaving intact the Senate’s power to enforce internal rules while rejecting punitive fines related to speech made outside plenary proceedings.