Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has vowed to challenge in court the six-month suspension imposed on her by the Nigerian Senate. This follows a public confrontation between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio regarding seating arrangements in the chamber. The legal counsel for the senator, Victor Giwa, criticized the suspension, describing it as a violation of a court order that had restrained the Senate from taking further action on the matter.
Speaking exclusively with *The PUNCH* on Thursday, Giwa expressed his strong disapproval of the Senate’s decision to suspend Akpoti-Uduaghan and remove her from the National Assembly complex. According to Giwa, the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges acted in direct contravention of a valid court order that had instructed them to halt any proceedings until a motion regarding the case was resolved.
“The suspension is void; it cannot even take effect. The suspension is illegal because there is a court order that restrained the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges from taking further action,” Giwa stated. He further emphasized that the committee’s decision to go ahead with the suspension made a mockery of the Senate’s role in upholding the law.
Giwa revealed that if Akpoti-Uduaghan had not sought legal intervention, the suspension might have been enforced without contest. “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,” Giwa added.
When asked whether there were plans to escalate the matter to international bodies, Giwa responded, “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.”
Giwa also pointed to Section 6, Subsection 6 of the Nigerian Constitution, which grants every citizen the right to seek redress when their civil rights are violated. He maintained that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was an attempt to silence her over her allegations of sexual harassment against Senate President Akpabio, which, he argued, breached her right to a fair hearing.
The suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan stems from allegations she made earlier this year. In a televised interview with Arise Television on February 28, the Kogi senator accused Akpabio of making sexual advances towards her. This statement followed a public confrontation between the two in the Senate, which was triggered by a dispute over seating arrangements in the chamber. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s sexual harassment complaint was subsequently referred to the Senate’s Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for investigation.
The Senate, after reviewing the report of the committee, adopted a resolution to suspend Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months without pay. The committee’s chairman, Senator Neda Imasuen, presented the findings on the floor of the Senate on Thursday. The committee found Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of breaching Senate Standing Orders and recommended her suspension as a result.
According to the committee’s report, which was signed by all 14 members, Akpoti-Uduaghan did not attend the investigative hearing to defend herself. The report proposed that her suspension could be reduced if she offered a formal apology to the Senate President for her outburst during the plenary session the week prior.
The Senate, however, rejected the committee’s recommendation for an apology to be considered before the suspension was lifted. Instead, the Senate insisted that any apology from Akpoti-Uduaghan would only be entertained after the full six-month suspension had passed.
As part of the suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s office was locked, and she was ordered to hand over all Senate property to the Clerk of the National Assembly. Furthermore, her salary and security details were to be withdrawn, though her legislative aides would continue to receive their remuneration during her suspension.
The seven-point recommendations from the Committee on Ethics and Privileges also included a ban on Akpoti-Uduaghan from representing herself as a Senator during her suspension, both locally and internationally. The recommendations were passed by the Senate, with some lawmakers voicing strong support for the committee’s actions.
Among those who commended the committee was Chief Whip Tahir Monguno, who emphasized the need for the Senate to uphold its rules and ensure that members followed due process. Other Senators, including Minority Leader Abba Moro and Senators Jimoh Ibrahim, Sunday Karimi, and Adams Oshiomhole, also supported the recommendations and condemned Akpoti-Uduaghan’s disobedience of the Senate’s rules.
While some Senators, such as Orji Kalu, expressed concerns over the impact of the suspension on Akpoti-Uduaghan’s aides, the Senate ultimately agreed to amend the recommendation to ensure that her staff would continue to receive their salaries. “We cannot punish the aides of Senator Natasha for an offence they did not commit,” Kalu argued. The Senate agreed to modify the recommendation, protecting the aides from losing their income during the suspension period.
The Senate’s decision to suspend Akpoti-Uduaghan has sparked widespread criticism, with both the Nigerian Bar Association and opposition parties condemning the move. The Nigerian Bar Association, in particular, expressed concern over the Senate’s failure to provide Akpoti-Uduaghan with a fair opportunity to present her case, particularly regarding the sexual harassment allegations against Akpabio.
