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The High Court in Abuja has ordered the reinstatement of the suspended lawmaker representing Kogi Central, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, by the Senate, ruling that the suspension imposed on the Senator was “excessive.”
Justice Binta Nyako, in the ruling, also criticised the provisions of Chapter 8 of the Senate Standing Rules and Section 14 of the Legislative Houses, Powers and Privileges Act, labelling both as overreaching.
The court pointed out that these two laws did not clarify the maximum duration for which a serving lawmaker could be suspended from their duties.
According to the court, since lawmakers have a total of 181 days scheduled for each legislative session, the six-month suspension awarded to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan effectively removed her from her responsibilities to her constituents for almost 180 days.
It ruled that while the Senate has the authority to penalise its members for misconduct, such sanctions must not be excessive and should not infringe on constituents’ rights to representation.
However, the court ruled that Senate President Godswill Akpabio was justified in denying the plaintiff, who was not occupying her allocated seat, the chance to speak during the plenary session.
Justice Nyako also rejected Akpabio’s argument that the court did not have jurisdiction over the case, which he claimed pertained to an internal matter of the Senate.
In a prior part of the ruling, the court imposed a fine on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for violating its order that prohibited the parties from making public statements related to the case. It also instructed her to publish an apology in two national newspapers within seven days.
