Abuja — The legal battle over the suspension of Kogi Central senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has escalated to Nigeria’s apex court following an appeal filed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio at the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
Court documents show that Akpabio is challenging decisions of lower courts which faulted the six-month suspension imposed on Akpoti-Uduaghan by the Senate in March 2025. The appeal seeks to affirm the Senate’s authority to discipline its members under Section 60 of the 1999 Constitution and to overturn rulings that described the suspension as excessive and unconstitutional.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on March 6, 2025, following a heated plenary session in which she protested her seating position and alleged procedural unfairness. The Senate cited violations of its Standing Orders, including speaking without recognition and refusal to comply with directives on the floor.
The suspension came amid earlier allegations of sexual harassment made by the senator against Akpabio, which he denied. The Senate did not institute a formal investigation into the allegation, a decision that attracted public criticism.
In July 2025, the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that the six-month suspension was unconstitutional, holding that the Senate lacked the power to bar an elected lawmaker for such a duration. However, the court also found Akpoti-Uduaghan in contempt over a social media post related to the case and ordered her to pay a fine and issue a public apology.
Despite the ruling on the suspension, the Senate leadership did not immediately reinstate the senator, citing pending appeals. Subsequent proceedings at the Court of Appeal also went against the Senate on key procedural issues, prompting Akpabio to seek redress at the Supreme Court.
In his appeal, Akpabio argues that the courts overstepped their bounds by interfering in the internal affairs of the legislature. He is asking the apex court to clarify the limits of judicial oversight over parliamentary discipline and to uphold the Senate’s constitutional powers to regulate its proceedings.
Akpoti-Uduaghan and other respondents, including the Senate and the Clerk of the National Assembly, have been served with the Supreme Court processes. The case is expected to set an important precedent on the balance between legislative autonomy and constitutional protections for elected representatives.
No hearing date has been announced.
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