UPDATED: Court Orders Senate To Reinstate Natasha

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Senate to reinstate the suspended lawmaker representing Kogi Central, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Justice Binta Nyako, in a judgement, described as “excessive” the six-month suspension that was slammed on the lawmaker by the Senate.

It faulted the provision of Chapter 8 of the Senate Standing Rules as well as section 14 of the Legislative Houses, Powers & Privileges Act, declaring both as overreaching.

Justice Nyako noted that the provisions failed to define a maximum duration for such suspensions and that excluding a sitting senator from legislative duties for nearly 180 days, out of the 181 days constitutionally required for plenary sittings in a legislative year, effectively silences an entire constituency.

‘It is the constituents who suffer when their elected representative is suspended for such a prolonged period,’ the judge said.

‘While the Senate has disciplinary powers, those powers must be exercised with fairness and proportionality,’ she added.

In addition, the court dismissed the argument raised by Senate President Godswill Akpabio that the matter was an internal affair of the legislature and therefore outside the jurisdiction of the court.

Justice Nyako held that where fundamental rights and the duties owed to constituents are at stake, the court has the authority to intervene.

However, the court upheld the Senate President’s decision to deny Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan the right to speak on the floor when she was not occupying her designated seat, describing it as ‘procedurally justified.’

Justice Nyako also reprimanded the senator for violating an earlier interim order that barred all parties from making public comments about the case.

Senator Natasha was fined ₦5m and ordered to publish a public apology in two national newspapers within seven days.