ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Monday upheld the suspension of the senator representing Kogi Central, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, ruling that the Senate acted within its constitutional and procedural powers.
In a unanimous decision delivered by a three-member panel of Justices, the appellate court held that neither Akpoti-Uduaghan’s parliamentary privileges nor her constitutional rights were violated by the action taken against her by the upper legislative chamber.
However, the court faulted the contempt proceedings initiated against the lawmaker and accordingly vacated the N5 million fine imposed on her over the satirical apology she rendered to Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice A. B. Muhammed held that the Senate President did not act wrongly when he denied Akpoti-Uduaghan the opportunity to speak during plenary on February 20, 2025, after she attempted to address the chamber from a seat that was not officially allocated to her.
The court held that under the Senate Rules, the Senate President is vested with the authority to allocate seats to lawmakers and that members are only permitted to contribute to proceedings from seats duly assigned to them.
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According to the appellate court, the refusal to allow the appellant to speak under the circumstances did not amount to a breach of her rights or privileges as a serving senator.
While affirming the validity of her suspension for misconduct, the court maintained that the contempt charge arising from the satirical apology could not stand, stressing that the sanction imposed in that regard lacked sufficient legal basis.