KEY POINTS

• Appeal Court ruled that the Senate lawfully suspended Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan
• Court upheld Akpabio’s actions but overturned the N5 million contempt fine
• Judgment confirms Senate’s authority to discipline its members under its rules

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has affirmed the suspension of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central, ruling that the Nigerian Senate acted within its constitutional and legal powers.

In a unanimous decision delivered on Monday, a three-member panel of 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 over alleged misconduct.

The court dismissed claims that the disciplinary action amounted to abuse of power, noting that the Senate has the authority to regulate the conduct of its members in line with its internal rules.

Court traces dispute from Senate action to final appeal ruling

The legal dispute began when Akpoti-Uduaghan approached the Federal High Court to stop the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions from initiating disciplinary proceedings against her.

On March 4, a Federal High Court judge issued an interim order restraining the Senate from taking disciplinary action and asked the lawmakers to show cause within 72 hours why the order should not be made permanent.

Despite the order, the Senate went ahead to suspend the Natasha for six months after adopting the committee’s report on alleged gross misconduct.

The restraining order was later vacated on March 19 by the same court. The presiding judge eventually recused himself from the case following allegations of bias, leading to the reassignment of the matter to another judge.

In a judgment delivered on July 4, the Federal High Court held that while the Senate had the power to discipline its members, the length of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was excessive. The court also found her guilty of contempt for publishing a satirical apology to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, ordering her to apologise publicly and pay a N5 million fine.

Both Akpabio and Natasha appealed the decision.

In its final ruling, the Court of Appeal upheld the Senate’s power to suspend a lawmaker and ruled that Akpabio acted in line with Senate rules when he denied Akpoti-Uduaghan the opportunity to speak during plenary, citing improper seating at the time.

However, the appellate court set aside the contempt ruling and cancelled the N5 million fine imposed on the senator, partially overturning the Federal High Court’s judgment.