Senator representing Kogi central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has hinted at challenging in court the six-month suspension slammed on her following her face-off with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over seating arrangements in the red chamber.
The legal counsel to the Kogi lawmaker, Victor Giwa, faulted the Senate resolution as a violation of a court order.
Giwa spoke on Thursday after the Kogi lawmaker was suspended by the senate and walked out from the National Assembly complex.
According to Giwa, the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges acted in violation of a court order that allegedly restrained it from taking further action on the matter pending the determination of a motion on notice.
“The suspension is void, it cannot even take any effect. The suspension is illegal because there is a court order that restrained the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges from taking further action.
‘’The committee disobeyed a valid court order that was served on them, making a mockery of the chamber that is supposed to uphold the law,” Giwa said.
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He argued that if Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had not sought legal intervention, the suspension might have stood.
The lawyer also expressed conviction that with a court order explicitly directing the Senate to halt disciplinary actions, the decision to suspend her was null and void.
Giwa further revealed that legal action would be taken against those responsible for violating the court’s directive.
“We are going back to court. The case is coming up in about two weeks, and we will inform the court that despite being served, including the Senate President, they still acted in violation of the order by suspending the plaintiff,” he stated.
When asked if there were plans to escalate the matter to international organizations, Giwa said, “For now, we are handling it locally. But, of course, the world is watching. The Senate must adhere to international best practices, which dictate that once a case is in court, no further action should be taken on it.”
He highlighted that the Nigerian Constitution supersedes the Senate Standing Orders, stating that every citizen had the right to seek redress in court when their civil rights are breached.
“Section 6, subsection 6 of the Constitution grants every citizen the right to seek redress when their civil rights are violated. Senator Natasha has done exactly that.
“Her suspension is an attempt to silence her for alleging wrongdoing against the Senate President, which amounts to a breach of her right to a fair hearing,” he added.
Legal experts have condemned the Nigerian Senate’s decision to suspend Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) for six months, describing it as illegal, unconstitutional, and a violation of her fundamental rights.
The lawyers argue that the suspension disregarded a valid court order and set a dangerous precedent for legislative overreach.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Kunle Edun, described the action as a clear violation of the law, noting that legislative suspensions cannot override constitutional rights.
He stated: “I do not agree with the suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan. The suspension was an aberration by a Senate that ought to know better.
“Order 67(4) of the Senate Rules states that a senator can only be suspended for a period not exceeding 14 days. This provision, which is unconstitutional, was breached by the same Senate.
“The fact that the matter is in court makes it sub judice. The Ethics Committee cannot, on one hand, admit that the subject matter of her petition is sub judice and then, on the other hand, contradict that position by suspending her in relation to the same matter or a similar matter that is before the court.
“The contention that the court lacks the power to interfere in legislative affairs due to the principle of separation of powers does not justify the Senate’s decision to disregard an interim court order.
“All the reasons the Senate may have had for disobeying the court order should have been presented in court as a basis to set aside the interim injunction. It is lawless for a legislature to disobey a court order, whether they consider it valid or not.
“Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan rightly refused to appear before the Ethics Committee in light of the court’s order.
“The Senate was wrong to proceed with the hearing despite the court order. This was sheer legislative rascality.”
Another lawyer and activist, Deji Adeyanju, criticized the Senate’s move, calling it a violation of democratic principles.
He noted that the suspension was not only illegal but also a blatant attempt to silence Akpoti-Uduaghan amid her petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio over allegations of sexual harassment.
“I am deeply saddened by the illegal suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan by the Nigerian Senate.
“This act is not only a blatant violation of her rights but also an affront to the very foundation of democracy and transparency that our nation claims to uphold,” Adeyanju said.
He also raised concerns over the handling of the matter by the Senate Committee on Ethics, stating that the chairman of the committee had previously defended Akpabio, raising a conflict of interest.
“It is unacceptable that neither Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan nor Akpabio was allowed to appear before the committee for a proper investigation.
“This lack of due process mirrors the troubling practices seen in our electoral system, where results are declared in the dead of night without proper scrutiny,” he added.
A former Senate Chief Whip, Senator Rowland Owie, has condemned the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, warning that the 10th Senate risks undermining its own integrity.
Reacting to the suspension of the Kogi Central lawmaker, Owie cautioned that legislative impunity could set a dangerous precedent, stressing that no senator should be denied their mandate arbitrarily.
“We are not in a Banana Republic. A senator remains a senator anytime, any day, even when suspended or as a non-serving senator. The 10th Senate must exercise caution to preserve the integrity of the institution,” Owie stated.
The Chairperson of the NBA Women Forum, Huwaila Muhammad, queried the manner in which the matter was handled.
She stated that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension, which is a build up on the dispute between her and Akpabio, might not have been the right decision to take in the interest of justice.
Stressing that in the interest of justice, she deserved fair hearing before such decision should have been taken.
She said, “To start with I will say on the suspension, we are all lawyers and would like to see fairness across board. We know the allegation is very big and he who asserts must prove so we will want her to prove the allegations and we expect fairness in it.
“I see her suspension as a kind of intimidation; you cannot be a judge in your own court. If something affects you, slide by the side and let justice take its course because we need to see fairness.
‘’We as citizens we would like to see a fair level ground for everybody. She is alleging and proving and peradventure she is unable to prove what she has alleged, she knows what would come to her. We are in a democracy, suspension is not the answer.’’
Speaking further, Muhammad noted, “The question here is: Did the committee call her before suspending her? Did she refuse to come? Did she send a representation? If she was not called then what was the yard stick used in suspending her and if she was called and she refused to go that will be very wrong of her because she was called to prove her innocence and her refusing to honour the invite will be wrong.
‘’Those who suspended her should know there are people out there watching and we all want justice because as far as we are concerned, the Senate is a sacred place and what is happening right now should not be happening.’’
In his reaction, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, speaking through his media adviser, Paul Ibe, said that Nigerian leaders are not creating an environment that enables women to thrive and contribute to the country’s development.
The Waziri Adamawa expressed concern over the Senate’s decision against Akpoti-Uduaghan, calling it an attack on affirmative action.
He stated, “Has there been an investigation? No. So, Atiku’s position hasn’t changed. Whichever way you look at this, there is a concern. Any society that does not optimally use the assets available to it, particularly by giving women the opportunity to thrive, is failing.
“About half of our population is women, and if we don’t deliberately create an environment conducive to promoting women’s interests—whether in politics, business, or any other human endeavour—we are underutilizing our potential.
“We’re not providing half of our population the opportunities to thrive and add value to society. With International Women’s Day coming up on March 8, it raises serious concerns.
“The Senate’s action of suspending Natasha for six months without conducting an investigation is an attack on affirmative action.”
On his part, Peter Obi, who spoke through his former media aide and the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Tanko Yunusa, also frowned on the development.
“The situation is quite disappointing,” he lamented.
The controversy surrounding Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension started after a heated confrontation on February 20, 2025, when she protested the reassignment of her Senate seat by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The issue escalated after she accused Akpabio of sexual harassment.
Her initial petition was blocked but later referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions after she re-presented her case.
Her refusal to appear before the Ethics Committee, citing a court order restraining the Senate from proceeding with an investigation against her, further intensified tensions.
Despite the legal restrictions, the Senate moved ahead with disciplinary actions, leading to her six-month suspension.
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