A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Nigerian Senate to immediately recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the lawmaker representing Kogi Central, who was suspended for six months.
In a ruling delivered by Justice Binta Nyako, the court described the suspension as “excessive,” stating that the punishment meted out by the Senate was unjustifiable and disproportionate.
The court faulted Chapter 8 of the Senate Standing Rules and Section 14 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, declaring both provisions as overreaching.
It stressed that neither law specified a maximum duration for which a serving lawmaker could be suspended.
Justice Nyako noted that lawmakers are constitutionally required to sit for a total of 181 days in a legislative year, and by suspending Senator Natasha for six months, the Senate effectively denied her constituents representation for nearly that entire period.
The court held that while the Senate reserves the right to discipline its members, any sanction must be proportional and must not infringe upon the constitutional rights of the lawmaker’s constituents to be represented.
However, the judge ruled that Senate President Godswill Akpabio was not at fault for refusing to allow Senator Natasha to speak during plenary, given that she was not seated at her officially designated seat.
Justice Nyako also dismissed the argument by Akpabio that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the matter on grounds that it concerned an internal affair of the Senate.
The court further directed Senator Natasha to publish an apology to the Senate within seven days in two national newspapers.