Senate President Godswill Akpabio has extended his congratulations to members of the Senate following the Court of Appeal’s decision that affirmed the six-month suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in March 2025.
Akpabio made the statement while opening an emergency plenary session held on Tuesday.
The Abuja division of the Court of Appeal ruled that the Senate acted within the bounds of the Constitution when it suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan over allegations of misconduct.
In a unanimous ruling, the three-member appellate panel concluded that the senator’s parliamentary privileges and constitutional rights were not violated by the disciplinary action.
While addressing his colleagues on the floor of the Senate, Akpabio said:
“Your rules derive from the Nigerian Constitution, and the Standing Orders of the Senate must always be adhered to.
“Any community without law and order will live in anarchy, and so the suspension that you handed over to one of your colleagues for unruly behaviour in the senate was confirmed by the Court of Appeal.
“So, I will say it was judicially confirmed by the Court of Appeal as the court went forward to say that you have the powers to discipline any erring officer of government.
“So, I said I should just mention that; congratulations, and that we also applaud the judiciary for their firmness.”