The Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has expressed his satisfaction with a recent Court of Appeal ruling that upheld the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. The judgment, delivered on Monday by the Abuja Division of the appellate court, confirms the Senate’s decision in March 2025 to sideline the Kogi Central lawmaker for six months following a breach of the upper chamber’s standing orders.
A three-member panel of the court was unanimous in its decision regarding the appeal filed by Akpoti-Uduaghan against the Clerk of the National Assembly and others. The court clarified that the Senate acted well within its constitutional authority and that the disciplinary action did not infringe upon the senator’s parliamentary privileges or her rights as a citizen. The ruling serves as a significant legal benchmark for legislative discipline in Nigeria.
While addressing his colleagues during an emergency plenary session on Tuesday, Akpabio described the court’s verdict as a victory for law and order within the hallowed chambers. He congratulated the Senate for standing its ground, noting that the ability to discipline erring members is essential to maintaining the integrity of the institution.
Akpabio emphasized that the Senate’s Standing Orders are not arbitrary but are rooted in the Nigerian Constitution. He argued that any community or organization that fails to enforce its own rules risks falling into a state of anarchy. For him, the appellate court’s confirmation was a judicial seal of approval on the Senate’s power to maintain decorum among its members.
The Senate President concluded by reminding lawmakers that the rules governing their conduct must be strictly followed at all times. He noted that the judiciary has now made it clear that the parliament possesses the necessary powers to regulate the behavior of its officers, ensuring that unruly conduct does not go unpunished in the pursuit of national service.
