The Community Outreach for Development and Welfare Advocacy (CODWA) has strongly condemned the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan by the Nigerian Senate, describing it as a blatant abuse of power, a constitutional violation, and an attack on democratic principles.
In a scathing statement signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Taiwo Otitolaye, the civic organization demanded that Senate President Godswill Akpabio recuse himself from the matter, insisting that a neutral lawmaker must oversee the proceedings to ensure fairness. CODWA argued that Akpabio’s involvement represents a glaring conflict of interest, making a credible and impartial review impossible.
CODWA decried the Senate’s disregard for a Federal High Court order that had explicitly restrained it from taking further actions against Senator Natasha. Despite the court’s directive, the legislative body proceeded with her suspension—an act the group described as lawless and contemptuous.
Backing its stance with legal precedents, CODWA referenced the Appeal Court’s ruling in Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly v. Hon. Rifkatu Samson Danna (2017) 49 W.R.N., which reinforced that legislative suspensions must adhere strictly to constitutional provisions. The organization also cited previous cases where Nigerian courts nullified legislative suspensions, including those of Senator Ali Ndume in 2017 and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege in 2018, both of which were declared unconstitutional by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The civic group further raised serious concerns over the credibility of the Senate’s Disciplinary, Ethics, and Petition Committee, asserting that it had been compromised and could not be trusted to conduct a fair and unbiased investigation. CODWA questioned the deafening silence of other senators, challenging legal professionals within the chamber to uphold the rule of law rather than bowing to political pressure.
“The silence of the so-called progressive voices in the Senate is alarming,” Otitolaye stated. “Are they afraid of losing privileges from Senator Akpabio’s table? Where are the lawyers in the Hallowed Chamber? Have they abandoned legal best practices?”
CODWA reaffirmed its commitment to challenging the injustice, vowing to stand in solidarity with Senator Natasha until justice is served. The statement reads in part:
> “The recent suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is an egregious abuse of power and a dangerous precedent for suppressing dissenting voices in the National Assembly. The Senate has not only defied a valid court order but has also allowed its internal processes to be hijacked for political victimization.
“Most egregiously, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has presided over a case in which he is directly implicated. As a senior lawyer, he should know that he cannot serve as a judge in his own case. His failure to step aside is an insult to legal ethics and due process.
“We demand that Senator Akpabio immediately step down and allow a neutral senator to handle the proceedings. The Senate must reverse this unjust suspension and uphold the Constitution.
“We call on all principled lawmakers and legal minds within the National Assembly to speak out. Silence in the face of injustice is complicity. This suspension will not stand.”
With mounting pressure from civil society and legal experts, the controversy surrounding Senator Natasha’s suspension is set to become a major litmus test for the integrity of the Nigerian Senate and the rule of law in the country.
PIONEER NEWS 