- Warns Natasha Against inappropriate Conduct
By Abiola Olawale
The Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja has ordered the immediate recall of the suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Presiding judge, Justice Binta Nyako, on Friday, described Natasha’s six-month suspension as excessive and totally unwarranted in a democracy.
The judge also faulted the provision of Chapter 8 of the Senate Standing Rules as well as Section 14 of the Legislative Houses, Powers & Privileges Act, declaring both as overreaching.
The court also held that the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, was not wrong to have denied Natasha, who was not in the official seat that was allotted to her, the opportunity to speak during plenary. The court asked her to apologise to the Senate.
According to the court, since lawmakers have a total of 181 days to sit in every legislative cycle, the six-month suspension handed to Natasha was the same as pushing her away from her responsibilities to her constituents for about 180 days.
It held that though the Senate has the power to punish any of its members who err, such sanction must not be excessive to deprive the constituents of their right to be represented.
The New Diplomat reports that this ruling comes after Justice Nyako awarded a ₦5 million fine against Natasha for acting in breach of its order that barred the parties from making public statements about the subject matter of the suit.
It further ordered her to within seven days, publish an apology to it in two national dailies.
