Court Orders Akpabio, Others to recall Sen Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from suspension
By Andrew Orolua
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday faulted the six months suspension of Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan , Kogi Central Senatorial District and ordered the Senate to recall her.
Justice Binta Fatima Nyako who delivered judgement on the suit brought by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, clearly affirmed the power of the Senate to discipline any member for unethical conduct.
The judge in the judgment, held that under the Senate Rules, the Senate President is empowered to allocate seats for members and such a member is only allowed to speak from the seat allocated to him or her.
She held that by the rule, since Natasha was not speaking from the sit allocated to her during the Senate’s sitting of February 20, she was not entitled to be heard.
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The judge further held that Natasha’s six months suspension by the Senate violates the Constitution and also denied her constituents of adequate representation.
According to the judge, the National Assembly has powers to discipline any erring members, such discipline should not be too excessive to the extent of depriving the representative’s constituents representation.
Justice Nyako also held that the six months suspension was excessive because it exceeded the 180 days the House is expected to sit.
Earlier, while ruling on applications for contempt filed by respondents, Senators Neda Imasuem and Godswill Akpabio , the Court found Senator Natasha guilty of contempt of the Court and consequently fined her the sum of N5 million.
Justice Nyako held that since Natasha is found guilty of contempt in a civil case, thereby making it a civil contempt she would not be sent to prison but made to pay a fine and offer public apology to the court.
The judge therefore ordered Natasha to pay N5m to the coffers of the Federal Government and publish an apology in two national dailies and her Facebook page within seven days.
The contempt fine arose after Natasha was found to have violated an order of the court made on April 4 restraining parties from commenting on the subject of the pending suit.
Senator Natasha had posted a satirical letter on her Facebook page on April 27 while the April 4 order subsisted and the court found Natasha had done it in contempt of the court.
