The Senate has reiterated its stance on the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, ruling out any possibility of reversing its decision. This comes amid growing public interest in the legal challenge against the suspension, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio raising concerns over the lawsuit challenging the parliamentary action.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was recently suspended over allegations of misconduct within the Senate chamber. The decision sparked widespread debate, with supporters of the lawmaker calling for an immediate reversal of the suspension. However, the Senate leadership has remained adamant, maintaining that legislative disciplinary measures must be respected.
Senate President Akpabio, while addressing the matter, questioned the legitimacy of the lawsuit seeking to overturn the suspension. He emphasized that the Senate, as an independent arm of government, has the constitutional authority to enforce its rules and discipline its members accordingly. He further noted that the judiciary must respect the principles of separation of powers, arguing that the courts should not interfere in matters strictly within the purview of legislative proceedings.
“We are a legislative body with rules and procedures. When those rules are violated, disciplinary measures must be applied. The court action challenging this decision is questionable because the legislature operates independently under the constitution,” Akpabio stated.
While the legal battle continues to unfold, political observers have described the situation as a major test of the Senate’s disciplinary framework and the extent to which judicial intervention can influence parliamentary decisions. With Akpabio’s firm stance and the Senate’s insistence on upholding its disciplinary action, the fate of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan remains uncertain, leaving her supporters eager to see how the legal challenge plays out.