Suspended Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has announced her intention to resume her legislative duties in the Nigerian Senate on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, despite her ongoing suspension and a pending appeal by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Legal Context and Court Ruling
- On July 4, 2025, the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that the Senate overreached in suspending Akpoti-Uduaghan.
- Justice Binta Nyako found that suspending a senator for six months without a specific limit violates lawmakers’ right to represent their constituents.
- The judgment did not expressly order her recall, but Akpoti-Uduaghan asserts it constitutes a decision in her favor.
Senator’s Declaration
Akpoti-Uduaghan has formally notified the Senate of her intent to resume plenary duties, referencing the court’s interpretation as legal basis for her action.She emphasizes that her continued suspension effectively deprives her constituents of representation and says, “I have written to the Senate again telling them that I’m resuming on the 22nd... because the court did make the decision on that”.
She maintains that, although Akpabio has appealed the ruling, the court’s decision stands until overturned by a higher court.
Senate President’s Response
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has filed an appeal against the Federal High Court’s judgment and, so far, the Senate leadership has not reinstated Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The legal dispute centers on whether the court’s pronouncement is binding without an explicit reinstatement order.
Political and Legal Implications
The situation has heightened tensions in the National Assembly, raising critical questions about legislative privilege, constitutional rights, and the judiciary’s authority to intervene in parliamentary affairs.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s push to return could set a precedent for how suspended lawmakers challenge disciplinary measures in court.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension is considered by some legal experts as excessive and in conflict with the constitutional right of constituents to representation.
Her planned return to the chamber on July 22 will test both the strength of the judiciary’s intervention and the Senate’s internal rules enforcement.