Fresh twist in Akpoti-Uduaghan Suspension: SERAP drags Akpabio to Court

The controversy surrounding the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has taken a new turn as the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The legal action challenges his “failure to reverse the patently unlawful suspension” of the senator, arguing that the move was “based solely on the peaceful exercise of her right to freedom of expression.”

The lawsuit, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, names Akpabio as a defendant alongside the entire Senate. Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for six months after she reportedly “spoke without permission” and “refused her new seat in the Senate chamber.” Beyond her suspension, she has also been stripped of her salary, allowances, and the right to identify herself as a senator.

SERAP is urging the court to compel Akpabio to rescind the suspension, reinstate Akpoti-Uduaghan, and restore all her legislative rights, entitlements, and privileges. The organization is also seeking an order to prevent the Senate from imposing similar disciplinary actions on her in the future, insisting that the use of Senate Standing Orders to enforce the suspension violates her fundamental rights and deprives her constituents of political representation.

The lawsuit argues that “granting this application would serve the public interest and promote respect for the rights of everyone in the National Assembly.” SERAP further emphasizes that “No one should ever be punished for ‘speaking without permission.’ Being a senator does not deprive Mrs. Akpoti-Uduaghan of her fundamental human rights.”

With public debate intensifying over legislative accountability, SERAP has criticized the Senate’s handling of the matter, stating, “The Senate should be setting an example by upholding the rule of law and promoting and protecting human rights, not stamping them out.”

As the legal battle unfolds, all eyes remain on the court, where a hearing date is yet to be set.