Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the immediate recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, from her suspension by the Nigerian Senate, describing the six-month disciplinary action as “excessive.”
The judge ruled on Thursday that the Senate overreached its constitutional bounds by imposing a lengthy suspension without clearly defined limits in its internal rules. Okay.ng reports that Justice Nyako struck down parts of Chapter 8 of the Senate Standing Rules and Section 14 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, describing them as vague and arbitrary.
According to the court, suspending a lawmaker for six months—given that the National Assembly sits for 181 days annually, effectively blocks a constituency from representation for nearly an entire legislative year, which is unconstitutional.
In a nuanced decision, Justice Nyako also sided with Senate President Godswill Akpabio, ruling that he acted within his rights by not allowing Akpoti-Uduaghan to speak on the floor when she was not seated at her designated spot. However, the judge instructed the lawmaker to apologise to the Senate for any infractions committed during plenary.
In a twist, the court also imposed a ₦5 million fine on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for breaching an earlier court order that restrained all parties from commenting publicly on the ongoing legal dispute.
Akpabio had earlier argued that the matter was an internal affair of the legislature and beyond the court’s jurisdiction, but Justice Nyako rejected that claim, affirming the judiciary’s power to interpret constitutional matters, including legislative conduct that may infringe on fundamental rights.
