The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sued the Senate and its President, Mr Godswill Akpabio, for not lifting the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The Senate recently suspended Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months, after she reportedly ‘spoke without permission’ and ‘refused her new seat in the Senate chamber.’
Her salary and allowances have also been withheld for the duration of the suspension, and she has been barred from identifying herself as a senator.
In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/498/2025 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio to rescind the unlawful suspension of Mrs Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, reinstate her, and fully restore all her legislative rights, entitlements, and privileges.”
In the suit, the group argued that: “Granting this application would serve the public interest and promote respect for the rights of everyone in the National Assembly.”
According to SERAP, “Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension is based solely on the peaceful exercise of her right to freedom of expression in the Senate. All the other grounds cited by the Senate for her suspension seem to be a pretext to further restrict her fundamental human rights.
“Suspending Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan for peacefully exercising her right to freedom of expression has made her opinion in the Senate ineffective,” the organisation noted.
The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Mr Kolawole Oluwadare and Mrs Adelanke Aremo, read in part: “No member of the Senate should suffer any consequences for peacefully exercising their freedom of expression.
“Any application of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 by the Senate must conform with constitutional and international human rights norms and standards relating to freedom of expression and should not jeopardise the right itself.
“A higher degree of tolerance is expected when it is a political speech and an even higher threshold is required when it is directed towards government officials including members of the Senate.
“The unlawful restriction of Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s right to freedom of expression has indirectly violated Nigerians’ right to receive information and ideas and seriously undermined the right of her constituency to political participation.
“Given the impracticality of direct participation of all citizens, article 13 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights provides that a citizen shall exercise political power either directly or through freely chosen representatives.
“The suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan from the Senate has restricted and seriously undermined the ability of the residents of her Kogi Central Senatorial District to effectively participate in their own government.
“The Senate has the obligations to uphold the rule of law and the provisions of section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution and Nigeria’s obligations under article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.