The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has confirmed the Senate’s power to suspend lawmakers, upholding the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan while striking down the ₦5 million fine she faced over a satirical apology to Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In a unanimous ruling delivered on Monday, a three-member panel dismissed Akpoti-Uduaghan’s appeal against the Clerk of the National Assembly and three others (suit number CA/ABJ/CV/1107/2025), ruling that her suspension did not infringe her parliamentary privileges or constitutional rights.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice A. B. Muhammed said the Senate President acted within the Rules when he denied Akpoti-Uduaghan the floor during plenary on February 20, 2025, because she was not seated in her officially designated seat.
“The Senate President has the authority to reassign seating positions, and members are permitted to speak only from their allotted seats,” the court emphasized.
