By Eteteonline
On Monday, February 9, 2026, the Court of Appeal in Abuja ruled that the Senate had the right to suspend Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the lawmaker representing Kogi Central, for misbehavior.
In a unanimous ruling, the appeal court declared the following:
• Since the appellant was not occupying the designated seat during the February 20, 2025, plenary, the Senate President was correct to deny her the chance to speak.
• Senator Akpoti-Akpoti erred when she blatantly disregarded the order to move to a newly designated seat.
• In order to preserve decorum and order during its sessions, the Senate has the power to punish any member who violates the rules.
• The appellant’s suspension from the Senate did not violate her constitutional rights or her parliamentary privilege.
• The Rules provide the Senate President the authority to assign seats to members.
• Lawmakers can only speak from the seats that have been assigned to them.
• In response to her consistent defiance of legal orders, the Senate appropriately invoked Order Six, Rule Two.
• The Senate Rules do not stipulate that allocation of new seats must be announced in advance.
• Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s argument was undermined by her nonattendance before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Petitions, and Privileges.
• When the Federal High Court learned that the disagreement was an internal legislative matter subject to the Senate’s Standing Rules, it should have refused jurisdiction.
In addition, the Court of Appeal dismissed the action and rendered a decision about the contempt proceedings. It nullified Senator Uduaghan’s N5 million fine.
The court struggle started in March 2025 when Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended by the Senate for six months for allegedly engaging in misbehavior and refusing to follow the rules during the February 20, 2025, plenary session.
However, the Senate stated that if Senator Uduaghan presented a written apology, the Senate leadership might think about removing the ban before the six-month period was up. She chose to take the legal route instead of accepting this offer.
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