Following the six-month suspension of the lawmaker representing Kogi Central senatorial district, Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan, members of her constituency, operating under the banner of Aggrieved Constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District, have taken the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, and the chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Nelda Imasuen, to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).
In a petition addressed to the chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, Dr Abdullahi Usman Bello, on Monday, they accused these individuals of abuse of power and violation of their oath of office due to their deliberate decision to suspend Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, despite an interim order of injunction from the Federal High Court restraining Senator Imasuen from proceeding with the purported investigation against her for alleged misconduct.
They argued that their willfully abusive actions are arbitrary and knowingly prejudicial to the rights of Kogi Central constituents to have their elected Senator represent their collective interests in the Senate.
The petition states: “We are constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District in Kogi State and wish to painfully present this petition to your Bureau regarding the following persons: 1 Sen. Godswill Akpabio (Senate President). 2. Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele (Senate Leader). 3. Sen. Nelda Imasuen (Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions).”
In the petition with a copy obtained by LEADERSHIP, the group said, “Mr Chairman, we would like to draw your attention to the provisions of paragraph 9 of the Fifth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria concerning the Code of Conduct for public officers, which stipulates that a public officer shall not do or direct to be done, in abuse of his office, any arbitrary act prejudicial to the rights of any other person, knowing that such an act is unlawful or contrary to any government policy.
“On 4th March 2025, the Senator representing our Senatorial District, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, secured an interim order of injunction from the Federal High Court restraining Senator Nelda Imasuen from proceeding with the purported investigation against her for alleged misconduct, following the events that transpired during the Senate plenary on 20th February 2025, pending the hearing of a Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction. Despite being served with the said Court Order, Sen. Nelda Imasuen disregarded the Court Order, claiming that the Court cannot interfere with the functions of the Senate, which is incorrect in light of the provisions of Section 4(8) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, which states that the exercise of legislative powers of the National Assembly shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of law and judicial tribunals established by law.
“Sen. Imasuen then proceeded to conduct the proceedings of the Ethics Committee in defiance of a standing Court order served on the parties in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025; Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan v. Clerk of the National Assembly.
“In abusing his powers, Sen. Imasuen invited Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan for a hearing on 11th March 2025, yet conducted the hearing on 5th March 2025 without her presence. The Committee hastily sent a fresh invitation letter on 5th March 2025.
“Sen. Imasuen’s Ethics Committee quickly prepared a report contrary to a valid Court order served on him and presented it to the Senate on 6th March 2025. The Imasuen-led Committee recommended that the Senator be suspended for six months, even though the Rules of the Senate prescribe only 14 legislative days for such actions, as stated in Order 67(4) of the Senate Rules.
“During the consideration of this unlawful report, Sen. Akpabio, as Senate President, presided over the adoption of the report despite being aware of the restraining Court order and the Senate Rules, which do not permit such a lengthy suspension for a serving Senator.
“Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, the Senate Leader, urged the Senate to adopt the report despite knowing about the restraining Court order and the Senate Rules. Notably, Sen. Bamidele is also a member of the body of Benchers responsible for calling young lawyers to the Bar.
“The conduct of the aforementioned Senators, apart from being an abuse of their office, constitutes a serious breach of their oath of office, which requires them to perform their duties honestly to the best of their ability and in accordance with the Constitution of Nigeria, the laws of Nigeria, and the Rules of the Senate.
“Their willfully abusive actions are arbitrary and knowingly prejudicial to the rights of Kogi Central constituents to have their elected Senator represent their collective interests in the Senate.
“Their actions have resulted in the unlawful suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan from the Senate for a period of six months, leading to the loss of her right to attend Senate sessions or enter the premises, suspension of her financial entitlements and perks of office, withdrawal of security details, and a purported directive not to present herself as a Senator, among other issues.
“The aforementioned Senators are therefore in serious contravention of paragraph 9 of the Fifth Schedule (Part 1) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria.
“This petition is hereby presented against them pursuant to paragraph 12 of the Fifth Schedule (Part 1) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria,” it concluded.
