By peterside Rejoice
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Monday, February 9, upheld the six-month suspension of the lawmaker representing Kogi Central, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, ruling that the Senate acted within the ambit of its constitutional and procedural powers.
In a unanimous judgment delivered by a three-member panel of justices, the appellate court held that the Senate did not breach the appellant’s parliamentary privilege or her fundamental rights by suspending her over alleged misconduct.
The court affirmed that the Senate was empowered under its Standing Rules to discipline its members where necessary to maintain order and decorum during legislative proceedings. It ruled that the suspension imposed on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was lawful and in line with established parliamentary practice.
However, the court set aside the contempt proceedings and the N5 million fine earlier imposed on the senator by a lower court in connection with a satirical apology she made to the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio. The appellate court held that the contempt ruling could not be sustained in law and accordingly vacated it.
In its lead judgment delivered by Justice A. B. Muhammed, the court also addressed the controversy surrounding the plenary session of February 20, 2025, which triggered the disciplinary action. Justice Muhammed held that the Senate President acted within his authority by denying Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan the opportunity to speak during plenary because she was not seated in the officially allocated seat.
The court emphasized that under the Senate Rules, the Senate President has the exclusive power to allocate seats to lawmakers and that members are only permitted to speak from their designated seats during plenary sessions. It therefore found no wrongdoing on the part of Senator Akpabio in enforcing the rules of the chamber.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended by the Senate for six months, with effect from March 6, 2025, following a faceoff with the Senate President over seating arrangements during plenary. The Senate had accused her of misconduct and violation of the Senate Rules 2023 (as amended), leading to the disciplinary action.
With the judgment, the Court of Appeal has effectively affirmed the authority of the Senate to regulate its internal affairs while partially granting relief to the suspended lawmaker by overturning the contempt sanction and fine imposed against her.
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