A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the immediate reinstatement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was suspended from the Senate for six months.
Justice Binta Nyako ruled on Friday that the sanction, imposed in March, was excessive and lacked constitutional backing. The Kogi Central lawmaker had been suspended over alleged misconduct following a disagreement with Senate President Godswill Akpabio during a plenary sitting.
The court found fault with the Senate’s internal rules and relevant legislative provisions, stating they failed to define a clear suspension limit.
Justice Nyako observed that sidelining a senator for half a year—when the National Assembly is required to sit for just 181 days—effectively excluded her from nearly the entire legislative calendar, denying her constituents fair representation.
The Senate has been directed to reinstate her without delay.
