THE Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has faulted the Senate’s insistence on keeping the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, away from the Red Chamber despite the expiration of her six-month suspension.
The NBA President, Afam Osigwe, a senior advocate, in a statement dated Thursday, September 18, said the Senate under its president, Godswill Akpabio, had no legal justification to deny the female lawmaker access to her seat on account of a pending appeal.
“First, the suspension was for six months. Challenging the correctness of that decision in court is separate from the expiration of the suspension period.
“If the suspension has ended, she can return, regardless of whether the Senate was right or wrong in suspending her. The Senate cannot use the pending appeal to deprive her of her seat once the actual suspension has ended.”
He stressed that refusing to let Akpoti-Uduaghan resume her legislative duties would leave her constituents unrepresented, which, according to him, undermines democratic representation..
Osigwe’s position echoes earlier interventions by lawyers, including Femi Falana, a senior advocate, who accused the Senate leadership of serial disobedience to court orders.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on March 6 after the Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions Committee accused her of violating Senate rules when she resisted a re-assignment of her seat.
Her suspension, which followed her allegations of sexual harassment against Akpabio, barred her from the National Assembly complex and stripped her of salaries, aides’ emoluments, and other entitlements.
Although the Federal High Court in Abuja declared the suspension unconstitutional and ordered her reinstatement, the Senate ignored the ruling.
When the lawmaker wrote to the Clerk of the National Assembly, indicating readiness to resume after completing the suspension, she was told to wait until the Court of Appeal rules on her case.
Acting Clerk, Yahaya Danzaria, said in a letter to the senator that the matter was subjudice, adding that no administrative action could be taken to facilitate her resumption until the appeal is concluded.
The ICIR reported that the Senate leadership blocked Akpoti-Uduaghan’s attempt to resume on September 4, the date she calculated as the end of her suspension.
The National Assembly’s letter directing her not to resume because of the pending appeal insisted the suspension remained in effect, until the litigation is concluded..
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lawyer, Victor Giwa, argued that her six months had lapsed and confirmed she was prepared to return when plenary resumes on September 23.
In July, Akpoti-Uduaghan attempted to get into the Red Chamber, armed with the Federal High Court ruling. She was turned back by security operatives, deepening tensions between her and the Senate leadership.
A reporter with the ICIR
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