Akpabio congratulates senators after Appeal Court upholds Natasha’s suspension

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has congratulated members of the Senate following a Court of Appeal judgment affirming the six-month suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Akpabio made the remarks on Tuesday at the start of an emergency plenary session, shortly after the appellate court ruled that the Senate acted within its constitutional authority when it suspended the lawmaker in March 2025 over alleged misconduct.

In a unanimous decision, the three-member panel of the Court of Appeal in Abuja held that the suspension did not violate Akpoti-Uduaghan’s parliamentary privilege or constitutional rights, and affirmed the Senate’s power to discipline its members.

Addressing his colleagues, Akpabio stressed the importance of adhering to the Senate’s rules and constitutional provisions.

“Your rules derive from the Nigerian Constitution, and the Standing Orders of the Senate must always be adhered to,” he said. “Any community without law and order will live in anarchy. The suspension you handed to one of your colleagues for unruly behaviour has now been confirmed by the Court of Appeal.

“The court made it clear that you have the powers to discipline any erring officer of government. So, congratulations, and we also applaud the judiciary for their firmness,” he added.