Court Orders Nigerian Senate To Recall Suspended Senator, Saying Suspension “Excessive”

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

Source: Africa Publicity

A High Court in Abuja, the federal capital of Nigeria, has ordered the Nigerian Senate to recall suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central in the Senate. 

Justice Binta Nyako who ordered the recall of the Senator in a judgment delivered on July 4, 2025, says the six-month suspension of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was “excessive”.

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on March 6, 2025 after fighting with Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

But delivering her judgement, Justice Nyako faulted the provision of Chapter 8 of the Senate Standing Rules as well as section 14 of the Legislative Houses, Powers & Privileges Act, declaring both as overreaching.

She explained that the two legislations failed to specify the maximum period that a serving lawmaker could be suspended from office.

The judge says since lawmakers have a total of 181 days to sit in every legislative circle, the six-month suspension handed to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was akin to pushing her away from her responsibilities to her constituents for about 180 days.

According to her, though the Senate has the power to punish any of its members who err, such sanction must not be excessive to deprive the constituents of their right to be represented.

Nevertheless, she stated that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, was not wrong to have denied the plaintiff who was not on the official seat that was allotted to her, the opportunity to speak during plenary.

Justice Nyako equally dismissed Akpabio’s contention that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit which he said bordered on an internal affair of the Senate.