Court moves hearing of Natasha’s suit against suspension to March 25

• Suspension ultra vires, disrespect to Kogi Central, says Peterside
• Rep seeks constitution amendment to regulate lawmakers’ suspension

Justice Obiora Egwatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed March 25 for hearing in a suit filed by Kogi Central senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, against the Senate.

The embattled senator had approached the court, seeking an order restraining the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges from investigating her.

To check the excessive use of power by the Senate President or House of Representatives Speaker, Mansur Soro (representing Darazo/Ganjuwa of Bauchi State in the House), called for amendment of the constitutional to regulate the process of suspending a federal lawmaker.

Meanwhile, the Founder of Anap Foundation, Atedo Peterside, has condemned the suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan by the Senate, describing it as disrespectful to her constituents.

The court granted the order, but the Senate, last Thursday, proceeded to suspend the senator for six months after it considered the report of it committee and despite the pendency of the restraining order.

At the hearing of the matter, yesterday, counsel to the first, second and third defendants told the court that they had not been served with the court papers.

However, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s counsel, Michael Numa (SAN), said all parties had been served, adding that affidavits of service were before the court.

After going through the affidavits of service before the court, Egwatu confirmed service of all processes on all respondents.

At this point, counsel to, the Senate President (3rd respondent), Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), prayed the court for an adjournment for all processes to be harmonised.

Other parties’ counsel supported the move on the ground that it would facilitate accelerated hearing at the next adjourned date.

The judge adjourned the matter till March 25, 2025, and ordered that all the relevant processes be served on parties before the adjourned date.

IN a post on X on Sunday, Peterside, who is also the founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, expressed concern over the suspension, tagging it disturbing.

“The most disturbing aspect of the Senate hullabaloo around Akpoti-Uduaghan is that the Senate leadership must be aware that her suspension for six months is ultra vires and disrespectful to her constituents in Kogi State, but they don’t care,” Peterside stated, pledging to stand with the female lawmaker in her ordeal.

The Kogi Central senator sued the Senate president for sexual harassment and abuse of office after a seat arrangement conflict on February 20, 2025.

SORO told newsmen, yesterday, in Bauchi: “Office of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, just as that of any other senator and member of the House of Representatives, is a creation of the Constitution. Same as the office of the President, governor and local council chairman. The Constitution provides the process for impeaching a President or governor and presiding officers of the National Assembly, but did not provide for how a duly elected senator or member of the House of Representatives can be suspended.

“It only provided for a recall by constituents of the affected lawmaker, which must be run through the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).”

According to him, though the Constitution gives the National Assembly the right to create its own rules and procedures regarded as ‘Standing Orders’, the confusion remains as whether a rule of the Senate or House can suspend an office created by the Constitution in the light of Section 3 of the Constitution.

He explained: “This bill seeks to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to regulate the process of suspending a member of the National Assembly; to mitigate abuse of regulations and procedures in suspending a duly-elected member of the National Assembly; to ensure that the representation and voice of all senatorial districts and federal constituencies are sustained in both houses of the National Assembly.

“From the look of things, over-concentration of powers in the office of the Senate President makes it easier to get any senator suspended at any given time.”

He stressed the need to review the process of appointing Chairman of the Committee on Ethics and Code of Conduct of the Senate for the sake of justice and transparency.