The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has upheld the Senate’s suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, ruling that the red chamber acted within its powers.
In a unanimous judgment delivered on Monday, a three-member panel dismissed the lawmaker’s appeal against the Clerk of the National Assembly and three others.
The court held that the suspension did not breach her parliamentary privileges or constitutional rights. However, it set aside contempt proceedings and a ₦5 million fine imposed on her over a satirical apology directed at Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Abba Mohammed stated that the Senate President acted within the Rules by denying Akpoti-Uduaghan the opportunity to speak during plenary on February 20, 2025, as she was not seated in her officially allotted seat.
The court noted that the Senate President is empowered under Senate Rules to reallocate seats and that members may only speak from their designated seats. It ruled that Akpoti-Uduaghan was wrong to refuse the reallocation and that her claim of not receiving prior notice was unfounded.
The appellate court also held that the Federal High Court should have declined jurisdiction in the matter since the Senate acted within its powers to suspend an erring member. It added that the senator’s refusal to appear before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Petitions and Privileges further weakened her case.
The court dismissed her argument that the suspension violated a prior court order, noting that Justice Obiora Egwuatu had recused himself and the matter was reheard by Justice Binta Nyako, making the earlier order non-subsisting.
However, the Appeal Court faulted the contempt charge and the ₦5 million fine, ruling that the failure to serve proper contempt forms (48 and 49) on the senator was fatal. It therefore set aside the contempt proceedings and the fine.
