Nigeria’s Court of Appeal in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, has ruled that Nigeria’s Senate acted within its powers when it suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District in Kogi State, north-central Nigeria, for misconduct.
The appellate court reached the decision in a unanimous ruling by a three-member panel. It said the suspension did not breach the senator’s parliamentary privilege or her constitutional rights.
The court, however, set aside the contempt proceeding and the ₦5 million fine that had been awarded against Akpoti-Uduaghan. The sanction was linked to a satirical apology connected to Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, who presides over the upper chamber of Nigeria’s National Assembly.
In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Abba Muhammed, the court also agreed with the Senate President’s action during plenary, when Akpoti-Uduaghan was denied the chance to speak because she was not in the seat officially assigned to her.
The court held that the Senate President has the authority under the Senate’s rules to allocate seats to members. It added that lawmakers are expected to speak from the seats assigned to them.
The dispute stems from plenary on Thursday, February 20, 2025, when the senator was not seated in the position allocated to her.
More details are expected.