Breaking: Court Finally Gives Verdict on Senate's Suspension of Natasha

• The Senate has been ordered to immediately recall suspended Kogi Central senator, Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan, from her six-month suspension
• Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja held that the six-month suspension was excessive on the part of the Senate
• According to the ruling, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has the right to sanction any member who errs, but the sanction must not be excessive to the extent of denying constituents the right to be represented

FCT, Abuja - The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the immediate recall of the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District in the National Assembly.

Justice Binta Nyako of the court, in a judgment on Friday, July 4, said that the six-month suspension that the Senate slammed on the Kogi lawmaker was "excessive".

The court also faulted the Senate Standing Rules' Chapter 8 and Section 14 of the Legislative Houses, Powers and Privileges Act, stating that the two provisions were overreaching. The two legislative guidelines did not specify the maximum period of time that a sitting lawmaker can be suspended from office.

According to the judgment, the lawmakers only have a total of 181 days to hold their sitting in their legislative circle. Thus, the six months' suspension handed to Senator Natasha was equivalent to denying her the chances of carrying out her responsibilities to her constituents within the legislative circle.

Cour empowers Akpabio to sanction senators

According to the court, the Senate has the power to sanction any of its members for violation of standing rules, but such a sanction should not be excessive to the extent of depriving the constituents of the right to be represented.

Nevertheless, the ruling held that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, had the legal status to deny Natasha, who was not in her official seat, which was allotted to her, the right to speak during plenary.

Also, the judge dismissed the Senate president's contention that the court did not have the right to hear the matter, which he had described as the internal affairs of the Senate.

Why does FG drag Natasha to court?

In another suit, the Kogi senator, who was suspended by the Senate for violating the Chamber's standing order, is facing a criminal defamation suit that the federal government had filed against her in suit No. CR/297/25.

The case proceedings were scheduled in response to the defamatory statement the suspended senator allegedly made against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, bordering on an assassination plot.

The Department of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF) in the Ministry of Justice had filed the suit on Friday, May 16.

Suspended Senator Natasha was facing prosecution under Section 391 of the Penal Code Law, Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990, based on the court filing. Under the section, it is criminal to claim to damage the reputation of another person.

Ex-minister accuses FG of planning to jail Natasha

Legit.ng earlier reported that Kogi Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan's legal tussle initiated by the federal government has commenced hearing at the Federal High Court.

Oby Ezekwesili, the former Minister of Education, who witnessed the hearing on Thursday, June 19, said that the federal government asked the court to send the senator to prison.

However, the former minister disclosed that the court declined the prayer of the federal government lawyers and granted bail to Senator Natasha.

Source: Legit.ng