Falana: Natasha Akpoti’s suspension height of legislative recklessness

Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer, has berated the senate for the suspension of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. 

Reacting in a statement, Falana warned that “suspending legislators at the whims and caprices of leaders of the federal and state legislative houses must not be allowed to continue in Nigeria”.

BACKGROUND

Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi central, was suspended from the senate for six months on March 6 after a heated debate with Senate President Godswill Akpabio on February 20.

She had protested the reassignment of her seat, calling it an attempt to silence her.

On February 28, Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of sexually harassing her.

On March 5, a federal high court in Abuja issued an order preventing the senate committee on ethics, privileges, and public petitions from continuing the disciplinary hearing.

But the senate panel proceeded with the hearing and recommended a six-month suspension, with an amendment that the duration could be reviewed if the senator tenders a public apology to the red chamber.

After adopting the ethics committee’s report, the red chamber suspended the legislator for “gross misconduct” during plenary.

‘ALL SUSPENDED LAWMAKERS SINCE 2010 HAVE BEEN REINSTATED BY COURT’

In his statement, the human rights lawyer said the judiciary had previously reinstated all lawmakers suspended by the national assembly or state legislatures.

The senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said court rulings, including by the court of appeal, are pointers that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension can be overturned.

Falana called for the immediate lifting of the “illegal suspension”, citing a restraining order by the federal high court in Abuja.

He also cited numerous precedents from high court and court of appeal rulings, dating back to 2010, when the house of representatives suspended Dino Melaye alongside 10 lawmakers.

“In 2018, our law firm equally handled the case of Honourable Abdulmumin Jibrin, a  member of the House of Representatives who was suspended for 180 days for accusing the Yakubu Dogara-led House of padding the 2016 national budget,” the statement reads.

“The Federal High Court nullified the suspension and ordered the payment of the withheld salaries and allowances of the legislator.

“In March 2024, the Godswill Akpabio-led Senate suspended Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP; Bauchi) for three months for alleging that Nigeria’s 2024 budget was padded.

“The Senator instructed our law firm to challenge the  suspension in the Federal High Court. We wrote to the leadership of the Senate to review the suspension in view of the illegality of the action.

“As we were preparing to challenge the suspension in the Federal High Court, the Senate recalled Senator Ningi and paid his withheld salaries and allowances.”