The Federal High Court in Abuja has directed the Senate to immediately reinstate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was suspended from representing Kogi Central.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Binta Nyako ruled that the six-month suspension imposed on the senator was “excessive” and unconstitutional. The court found that both Chapter 8 of the Senate Standing Orders and Section 14 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, which were used to justify the suspension, lacked clarity on the duration of legislative sanctions.
Justice Nyako stated that the Senate had overreached its authority, as neither law specifies the maximum period a serving lawmaker can be suspended. She noted that lawmakers are constitutionally required to sit for 181 days in a legislative year, and suspending Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months—almost the entire session—effectively deprived her constituents of representation.
“A six-month suspension in a legislative calendar of 181 sitting days essentially silences the voice of the people of Kogi Central,” the court ruled.
The Senate had suspended Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan in March following a heated debate over the conduct of a plenary session. Her suspension drew public criticism, with many describing it as politically motivated and undemocratic.
The court’s decision marks a legal victory for the senator and her supporters, who had challenged the suspension as an abuse of legislative power.
With the judgment now delivered, the Senate is expected to comply by recalling Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan to resume her legislative duties immediately.
