The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal on Monday upheld the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, ruling that the Nigerian Senate acted within its constitutional and parliamentary powers when it disciplined the lawmaker representing Kogi Central for alleged misconduct.
In a unanimous judgment delivered by a three-member panel of justices, the appellate court held that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s parliamentary privileges and constitutional rights were not breached by the six-month suspension imposed on her by the Senate.
Don’t Miss This:Nigeria’s Gombe State signs February 3 partnership with New Zealand firm to modernise cattle breeding
The suit, arising from actions taken by the Senate in March 2025, saw the senator challenge her suspension after disciplinary proceedings against her.
The court also set aside contempt proceedings and a ₦5 million fine that had been earlier awarded against the senator over a satirical apology she made to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, ruling that those aspects of the lower court’s judgment were flawe.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice A. B. Muhammed emphasised that the Senate President has authority under the chamber’s rules to assign seating for lawmakers, and that Akpoti-Uduaghan was not entitled to parliamentary privileges at the time she refused to sit in a reassigned seat during plenary.
Don’t Miss This:Nigeria’s Gombe State signs February 3 partnership with New Zealand firm to modernise cattle breeding
The appellate court held this was within the Senate’s procedural powers, and that refusing to comply did not in itself constitute a violation of constitutional rights.
The ruling reinforces the Senate’s disciplinary autonomy while clarifying the limits of contempt sanctions against legislators in the context of internal legislative disputes.
It marks a significant legal development in ongoing tensions over legislative discipline and the judiciary’s role in reviewing parliamentary actions.
Further reactions from Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s camp and the Senate are expected as the legal and political implications of the judgment unfold.
Image Credit: Punchng
