Court Reverses Senate’s Suspension of Sen Natasha, Slams N5m Fine on Natasha for Contempt

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Nigerian Senate to immediately reinstate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was handed a six-month suspension from legislative duties.

The court ruled that the suspension was excessive and unconstitutional.

Justice Binta Nyako, who delivered the judgment, held that the Senate overreached its authority by suspending a lawmaker for nearly the entire legislative year.

She pointed out that the Senate Standing Rules and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act do not provide a clear legal basis for suspending a senator for such a lengthy period.

“With 181 legislative sitting days in a year, excluding Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months is practically shutting her constituents out of parliamentary representation,” Justice Nyako said.

The court acknowledged the Senate’s right to discipline its members but insisted that any punishment must be proportionate and must not deny citizens their right to representation.

In a twist, the court also found Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of contempt for violating a subsisting order restraining all parties from making public comments on the case. As a result, she was ordered to pay a N5 million fine and publish a formal apology in two national newspapers within seven days.

On the issue of parliamentary protocol, the court sided with Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s decision to deny Senator Natasha a speaking opportunity during plenary, stating that she was not seated in her officially designated spot.

Justice Nyako dismissed Akpabio’s argument that the case was purely an internal affair of the legislature and outside the court’s jurisdiction, affirming that the judiciary has the duty to intervene when constitutional rights are at stake.

This ruling has rekindled discussions about legislative accountability and the balance of power between the arms of government.

Reacting to the judgement, a legal observer in Abuja, Barrister Hassan Etsu, said: “This is a landmark ruling. The court has clarified that internal legislative procedures must still operate within the boundaries of the Constitution.”

The Senate is now expected to act in compliance with the court order by reinstating Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan without delay.

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