The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Senate to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central.
Justice Binta Nyako, the presiding judge, in a ruling today, July 4, called the Senate’s six-month suspension imposed on her on March 6 after her altercation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio “excessive.”
Justice Nyako said the provisions of Section 14 of the Legislative Houses, Powers & Privileges Act and Chapter 8 of the Senate Standing Rules went too far.
The judge said that the two legislations failed to specify the maximum period that a serving lawmaker could be suspended from office.
She said that since lawmakers had 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.
Justice Nyako said that the Senate had the power to punish any of its members who erred, but such a sanction must not be excessive to the extent of depriving the constituents of their right to be represented.
The court, however, held that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, was not wrong to have denied the plaintiff the opportunity to speak during plenary after she refused to sit in the official seat that was allotted to her.
She 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.
