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Justice Binta Fatima Nyako of a Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, faulted the suspension of Kogi State Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and nullified it.
Justice Nyako subsequently ordered the Senate to recall the suspended senator on grounds that her suspension for six months violated the Constitution and also denied her constituents of adequate representation.
The judge made the order while delivering judgment in the suit filed by Akpoti-Uduaghan challenging her six months suspension by the Senate.
Justice Nyako stated that while the National Assembly has powers to discipline any erring members, such discipline should not be too excessive to the extent of depriving her people of representation.
Justice Nyako explained that the six months suspension was excessive because it exceeded the 180 days the house is expected to sit.
Meanwhile, the court found her guilty of contempt of court and subsequently fined her the sum of N5 million.
She is to also tender a public apology to the court in two national dailies as well as on her Facebook page.
The suspended Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central), has issued a sarcastic and satirical apology to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, reigniting discussions about gender dynamics and power struggles within Nigeria’s legislative chambers.
In a letter dripping with biting irony, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan offered what could be described as a profuse “apology” for the “grievous crime” of maintaining dignity and self-respect in the Senate President’s presence.
Mockingly, she referenced expectations of compliance, writing: “How remiss of me not to understand that my refusal to indulge your… ‘requests’ was not merely a personal choice but a constitutional violation of certain men’s entitlement.”
