The Nigerian Senate, under the leadership of Senate President Godswill Akpabio, is facing intense backlash for allegedly flouting a Federal High Court order in the controversial suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central.
Senator Natasha was suspended for six months on Thursday after the Senate disciplinary committee found her guilty of violating the chamber’s rules, following her sexual harassment allegations against Akpabio. The suspension, which takes effect from March 6, 2025, comes with additional restrictions, effectively sidelining the outspoken lawmaker from legislative activities.
The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, led by Senator Neda Imasuen, presented its findings before the plenary, asserting that Natasha’s actions had brought the Senate and its presiding officer into public disrepute.
> “The Senate should suspend Senator Natasha for six months for her violation of the Senate Standing Rules 2023 (as amended), having brought the Senate President and the institution into disgrace,” Imasuen declared while submitting the committee’s report.
However, documents obtained by SaharaReporters indicate that the Senate acted in defiance of a subsisting court ruling. The records reveal that Senator Natasha had earlier sought legal protection through a lawsuit filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, in case number FHC/ABJ/CS/384/25, challenging any disciplinary action against her.
In its ruling on March 4, 2025, the court granted an interim order restraining the Senate Committee from proceeding with any investigation or disciplinary action against Natasha until the hearing and determination of the substantive motion. The court had adjourned the case to March 10, 2025, for further deliberations.
Despite this clear judicial directive, the Senate proceeded with her suspension, a move that legal experts and civil society organizations have condemned as a blatant disregard for the rule of law.
Reacting to the development, Barrister Hamza Nuhu Dantani criticized the Senate for undermining judicial authority, describing the action as a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
> “An alien visiting Nigeria for the first time would think this is a personal vendetta rather than a legislative process. The Senate’s decision to suspend Senator Natasha despite a valid court order is a brazen affront to the rule of law,” Dantani remarked.
He further emphasized that obedience to court orders is a fundamental principle of governance, citing several judicial precedents:
> “Court orders are not mere suggestions—they are binding directives that must be obeyed by all, regardless of status. The Court of Appeal in Adesoye v. Olagunju (1998) categorically stated that a court is not a ‘toothless bulldog’; its orders must be obeyed or face legal consequences.”
> “The Supreme Court, in Mobil Oil (Nig.) Ltd. v. Assan (1995), reinforced that any individual or institution subject to a court order has an ‘unqualified obligation’ to obey it until it is lawfully set aside.”
Dantani argued that the Senate had other legal options, including seeking to vacate the court’s order rather than blatantly disregarding it.
> “The proper course of action would have been to suspend any proceedings against Senator Natasha and approach the court to set aside its ruling if they believed it was unjust. By choosing to defy the judiciary, the Senate is setting a dangerous precedent.”
Observers have raised concerns over the implications of the Senate’s action, warning that if an institution vested with lawmaking powers openly flouts judicial orders, it could erode public confidence in democratic governance.
> “If the Senate, which makes laws, does not respect court rulings, how can it expect citizens to?” a political analyst questioned.
The suspension of Senator Natasha has now become a lightning rod for broader discussions on legislative overreach, gender dynamics in Nigerian politics, and the independence of the judiciary. With the case set for hearing on March 10, all eyes are on the judiciary to see whether it will assert its authority or allow the Senate’s defiance to stand unchallenged.
PIONEER NEWS 