Today, February 9, the Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld the Senate’s right to suspend Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the legislator representing Kogi Central, for misbehaviour, stating that the Senate had the authority to do so.
The court concluded in a unanimous ruling by a three-member panel of Justices that the Appellant’s suspension from the Senate did not violate either her constitutional rights or her parliamentary privilege.
However, the court dismissed the N5 million fine and contempt case against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for her humorous apology to Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Furthermore, the Senate President was justified in denying the appellant, who was not occupying the official seat assigned to her at the February 20, 2025, plenary, the chance to speak, according to the appeal court’s lead verdict, which was delivered by Justice A. B. Muhammad.
It concluded that lawmakers can only speak from seats that have been allotted to them and that the Senate President is empowered by the Rules to assign seats to members.
Due to allegations of misbehaviour and a violation of Senate rules 2023 (as amended), Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended by the Senate for six months, with effect from March 6, 2025.
Following her argument with Senate President Godswill Akpabio on seat assignments, she was suspended.
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