Obey Court Order, Recall Senator Natasha Immediately, SERAP Tells Akpabio

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on Senate President Godswill Akpabio to immediately comply with a Federal High Court ruling by recalling Kogi Central lawmaker, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to the National Assembly.

In a statement shared via its official X account on Tuesday, SERAP condemned the Senator’s suspension, describing it as a “grave violation” of the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights obligations.

“Senate President Godswill Akpabio must immediately obey the court order and ensure the smooth return of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to the Senate today or any other day of her choosing,” the statement read.

“She should never have been suspended in the first place. Her suspension is a grave violation of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) and international human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a signatory.”

SERAP also demanded that the Senate restore all of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legislative rights, entitlements, and privileges, urging the leadership of the Red Chamber to respect the rule of law.

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“The Senate should be setting an example by obeying the court order, upholding the rule of law, and protecting the integrity of the country’s legal system,” SERAP added.

The call followed a ruling by a Federal High Court in Abuja last Friday, which nullified the six-month suspension imposed on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.

In the judgment delivered by Justice Binta Nyako, the court held that the suspension was “excessive” and amounted to denying the senator’s constituents their right to representation.

Justice Nyako faulted the Senate’s reliance on Chapter 8 of its Standing Rules and Section 14 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, stating that both provisions overreached their intended limits and failed to define a maximum suspension period.

The court emphasised that while the Senate retains the authority to discipline its members, such sanctions must not be so severe as to disenfranchise constituents.

“Given that lawmakers have only 181 sitting days per legislative session, suspending a senator for six months effectively denies an entire district its representation for nearly the full duration of a legislative calendar,” the court ruled.