Appeal Court backs Senate, upholds Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension

The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has ruled that the Senate did not overstep its authority in suspending the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, over alleged misconduct.

Delivering a unanimous judgment, a three-man panel of justices held that the suspension did not infringe on the senator’s constitutional rights or violate her parliamentary privileges.

However, the appellate court set aside the contempt charge and the ₦5 million penalty earlier imposed on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan in connection with the satirical apology she addressed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Abba Muhammed, the court also upheld the action of the Senate President in refusing to allow the Kogi lawmaker to address the chamber during plenary on February 20, 2025, noting that she was not seated in her officially assigned position at the time.

The court emphasized that under the Senate Rules, the Senate President has the authority to assign seats to lawmakers and that members are permitted to contribute to proceedings only from their designated seats.