Nigerian appeal court upholds Senate’s suspension of opposition lawmaker

Nigeria’s court of appeal has ruled that the Senate acted within its powers when it suspended the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, over alleged misconduct.

In a unanimous decision delivered in Abuja, a three-member panel of justices said the suspension did not breach the senator’s parliamentary privilege or her constitutional rights.

The court, however, overturned contempt proceedings and a ₦5m (£2,500) fine imposed on Akpoti-Uduaghan following a satirical apology she addressed to the Senate president, Godswill Akpabio, during the dispute.

Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Abba Muhammed held that Akpabio acted lawfully when he denied the senator the opportunity to speak during a plenary session on 20 February 2025 after she attempted to address the chamber from a seat not officially assigned to her.

The court said Senate rules empower the Senate president to allocate seating positions and require lawmakers to speak only from their designated seats during proceedings.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension had sparked debate over legislative discipline and freedom of expression within Nigeria’s national assembly, with critics arguing that the sanction was excessive. The appeal court’s ruling affirms the Senate’s authority to regulate its internal affairs, while limiting the scope of punitive measures against lawmakers.