Court Orders Senate to Recall Natasha from Suspension.
By Our correspondent.
Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Nigerian Senate to reinstate the suspended lawmaker representing Kogi Central, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
During the judgment delivered on Friday, Justice Nyako stated that Natasha’s six-month suspension was excessive. She criticized the provisions of Chapter 8 of the Senate Standing Rules and Section 14 of the Legislative Houses, Powers & Privileges Act, declaring both as overreaching.
The judge emphasized that these legislations failed to specify the maximum duration a serving lawmaker could be suspended from office.
Justice Nyako pointed out that lawmakers have a total of 181 days to sit in each legislative cycle, and the six-month suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was comparable to removing her from her responsibilities to her constituents for approximately 180 days.
The court ruled that while the Senate has the authority to sanction its members for misconduct, such sanctions should not be excessive to the extent of depriving constituents of their right to representation.
The court also held that Senate President Godswill Akpabio was justified in denying the plaintiff—who was not seated in her allotted position—the opportunity to speak during plenary sessions.
Justice Nyako dismissed Akpabio’s claim that the court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case, stating that it did not solely concern the Senate’s internal affairs.
