The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has affirmed the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, ruling that the Nigerian Senate acted within its constitutional and procedural powers.

In a unanimous judgment delivered on Monday, a three-member panel dismissed Akpoti-Uduaghan’s appeal against the Clerk of the National Assembly and three others, holding that her suspension did not violate her parliamentary privileges or fundamental rights.

The appeal, marked CA/ABJ/CV/1107/2025, challenged the Senate’s disciplinary action following a plenary session dispute earlier this year.

However, the appellate court partially ruled in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s favour by setting aside the contempt proceedings and the ₦5 million fine imposed on her over a satirical apology addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Delivering the lead judgment, Justice A. B. Muhammed held that Senate President Akpabio acted in line with Senate Rules by preventing the lawmaker from speaking during plenary on February 20, 2025, as she was not seated in her officially designated seat.

The court stressed that the Senate President has the authority to reassign seats, and that lawmakers are only permitted to contribute to debates from their allocated positions.

According to the court, these procedural rules were not breached, and the suspension therefore remained valid and lawful.

More details to follow…