Why Court Can’t Void Senate’s Suspension of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

Natasha

By KEN HARRIES Esq

The foundation of constitutional democracy across Europe and America has been deliberately built over the centuries on the strict and faithful adherence to the principle of separation of powers which demands respect for the autonomy of each arm of government.

Therefore, The Nigerian federation, as an entity which practices constitutional democracy has expressly provided in Section 4, 60 and 101 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) that the Legislature of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has the constitutional authority to regulate its internal affairs, including the protection of the sanctity of its established procedures and practices, and discipline members whose conduct (or misconduct) attempt to desecrate the solemn norms of the hallowed chambers.

In the exercise of the constitutional powers and authority of the National Assembly as an arm of government, the Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, was suspended on 25th day of February,2025 following her ignominious display of crass disrespect to parliamentary rules, and her misconduct on the floor of the Senate. That despicable act of gross abuse of parliamentary privilege by the suspended Kogi Central Senator, which was not only witnessed by the Nigerian public, including the innocent young students who were all seated in the Senate gallery for the purposes of learning the ethics/etiquettes of standard parliamentary practices, sadly became an obscene piece of destructive cinematic content circulated across the world via the internet and other media platforms to vent avoidable damage on the fragile public image of Nigeria in the comity of Nations.

That overwhelming resolution by the Senate which approved the suspension was actually well founded upon the enormity of the ethical breaches by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and the negative impact of same on the institution of the Senate. The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions painstakingly followed due process in the exercise of its assignment of investigation on the matter. The detailed records of the committee had clearly confirmed that there was strict adherence to the standard procedures.The constitutional right to fair hearing was upheld and she was afforded adequate opportunity to respond and to defend the case against her, and it was upon the conclusion of all the processes that a case of gross misconduct was established and then recommendations approving her suspension were subsequently adopted by the Senate in plenary session.