Senate President Godswill Akpabio has welcomed the Court of Appeal judgment affirming the Senate’s powers to discipline its members, describing the ruling as a “landmark decision.”
Gatekeepers News reports that speaking on Tuesday, Akpabio congratulated the Senate on the verdict, which upheld the authority of the upper chamber to enforce its standing orders.
“I must congratulate the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the landmark decision of the Court of Appeal on Monday which affirmed that our rules are different from the Nigerian Constitution and that the standing orders of the Senate must always be obeyed,” he said.
Akpabio said the judgment validated the earlier suspension of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi Central, for what he described as “very unruly behaviour” during plenary sessions.
“Any community without law and order will live in anarchy and so the suspension that you earlier handed over to one of your colleagues for very unruly behaviour in the Senate was confirmed by the Court of Appeal,” he stated.
He added that the ruling had now been “judicially confirmed,” noting that the appellate court also affirmed the Senate’s authority to discipline erring public officials.
“The court went further to say that you have the powers to discipline any erring officer of government,” Akpabio said, while also commending the judiciary for its firmness.
“We also applaud the judiciary for their firmness,” he added.
Earlier on Monday, Yemi Adaramodu, chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, said the judgment had strengthened the Senate’s internal disciplinary framework.
“The judgment decisively reinforces parliamentary autonomy and separation of powers, confirming that the Senate’s power to discipline its members is constitutionally protected and justiciable only where there is a clear breach of the Constitution or statute,” Adaramodu said.
Background
Akpoti-Uduaghan had filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to restrain the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions from initiating disciplinary proceedings against her.
On March 4, the Federal High Court granted an ex parte order restraining the Senate from commencing disciplinary action against the Kogi senator and directed the defendants to show cause within 72 hours why an interlocutory injunction should not be issued.
Despite the order, the Senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months two days later over alleged gross misconduct, following the adoption of a report by the committee on ethics, privileges and public petitions.
On March 19, Obiora Egwuatu, the presiding judge, vacated the restraining order. At the resumed hearing on March 25, Egwuatu announced his decision to recuse himself from the case after allegations of bias were raised against him by Akpabio.
The case was subsequently reassigned to Binta Nyako, who, in her judgment delivered on July 4, ruled that the privileges of a lawmaker are subject to the provisions of the Senate’s standing rules.
Justice Nyako held that the Senate President has the power to change lawmakers’ seating arrangements and that Akpabio was justified in denying Akpoti-Uduaghan the opportunity to speak during plenary because she was not seated in her officially designated position.
However, the court faulted the six-month suspension, describing it as “overreaching” and “excessive.” Nyako also found Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of contempt for publishing a satirical apology to the Senate President.
