Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Senate to reinstate suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
In her ruling, Justice Nyako deemed the six-month suspension imposed on the senator by the Senate as excessive.
She also struck down provisions in Chapter 8 of the Senate Standing Rules and Section 14 of the Legislative Houses, Powers, and Privileges Act, declaring them overreaching.
While the court acknowledged Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s decision to deny Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan the floor—since she was not seated in her designated spot—as justified, it directed her to offer a formal apology to the Senate.
The judge noted that neither of the two cited legislative provisions defined a maximum suspension period for serving lawmakers.
Given that legislators sit for a total of 181 days in a legislative year, a six-month suspension would effectively deprive Akpoti-Uduaghan’s constituents of representation for nearly the entire cycle.
Justice Nyako affirmed that although the Senate holds disciplinary authority over its members, such sanctions must not be excessive or infringe upon the right of constituents to be represented.
The court also dismissed Akpabio’s claim that it lacked jurisdiction over what he described as an internal matter of the Senate.
Additionally, the court imposed a ₦5 million fine on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for breaching a prior court order prohibiting public commentary on the ongoing case. It further directed her to publish an apology in two national newspapers within seven days.
Meanwhile, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is also facing two separate court cases involving allegations of cybercrime and defamation in Abuja.