The suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghen for six months by the Senate over alleged violation of Senate Standing Rules is illegal and arbitrary. Curiously, Senator Godswill Akpabio whom Senator Natasha accused of sexual harassment spearheaded the entire suspension exercise.
To be clear, the position of the law is that the Nigerian Senate lacks power to suspend a serving Senator for six months. By dint of Section 21 of Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, a Senator cannot be suspended beyond 14 days.
In addition, considering that Senator Akpabio is currently facing damning allegation of sexual harassment, he ought not to have presided over the illegal suspension of Senator Natasha. Suspension of Senator Natasha is malice taken too far.
By spearheading Senator Natasha’s suspension, her constitutional right to fair hearing has been gravely breached as Akpabio ought not to be a judge in his own cause. This suspension breaches Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution.
Importantly, suspending Senator Natasha amounts to a violent denial of her constituents entitled right to legislative representation. This position was rightly upheld by the Court in Bauchi State House of Assembly v Honourable Rifkatu Danna (2017) 49 WRN 52. In the cases of Dino Melaye v House of Reps and Ali Ndume v The Senate, our courts have consistently deprecated this similar assault on the Constitution.
In light of the foregoing, we hereby demand that the illegal, malicious, undemocratic and unconstitutional suspension be lifted immediately and unconditionally.
Festus Ogun, Esq
Constitutional Lawyer and Human Rights Activist
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