Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has outrightly condemned the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan by the Senate of Nigeria. The legal icon described the suspension as the height of legislative recklessness.
Falana in a statement issued on Sunday, criticized the Nigerian Senate for violating multiple court rulings that have consistently declared legislative suspensions illegal.
He noted that despite a Federal High Court order restraining the Senate Ethics Committee from proceeding against Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Senate defied the order and went ahead with the suspension.
The legal icon through the statement called for the immediate reversal of the suspension and warned the Senate against setting a dangerous precedent.
“The suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is the height of legislative recklessness. The illegal suspension should be lifted without any further delay,” he stated.
To support his argument, Falana outlined a series of past legal battles where Nigerian courts nullified unlawful legislative suspensions.
Dino Melaye & 10 Others (2010): The Federal High Court ruled the suspension illegal and ordered payment of withheld salaries.
Rifkatu Danna (2012 & 2017): Her suspension by the Bauchi State House of Assembly was overturned by both the State High Court and Court of Appeal.
Abdulmumin Jibrin (2018): Suspended for 180 days for exposing budget padding but later reinstated by the Federal High Court.
Ali Ndume (2017): The court ruled his suspension unlawful and unconstitutional.
Ovie Omo-Agege (2020): His suspension was annulled by the Federal High Court.
Falana insisted that the Senate’s decision to suspend Akpoti-Uduaghan despite a court order was a violation of the rule of law.
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“Since the Federal High Court had restrained the Senate Ethics Committee from hearing the complaint against the embattled Senator, the Senate ought to have stayed action in accordance with the rule of law,” he emphasized.
The human rights lawyer concluded by calling for an end to arbitrary suspensions, urging lawmakers to respect legal precedents and protect democratic principles in Nigeria.
