The Nigerian Senate has been encouraged to promptly challenge the Federal High Court’s decision to restore Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan by the Coalition of Concerned Women for Legislative Integrity (CCWLI), a coalition of more than 1,000 women-focused civil society organizations.
The coalition called Friday’s ruling “deeply troubling” and “a potential threat to the sanctity of parliamentary discipline and democratic integrity” in a statement released in Abuja on Monday.
Barr Nana Amina Abdullahi, the national president of the coalition, urged Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the Red Chamber leadership to uphold the legislature’s independence and “not let populist sentiment or outside pressure take precedence over the responsibility of enforcing accountability within the chamber.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension from the Senate was deemed disproportionate and unfounded by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja. She declared that the Senate lacked the authority to impose such a lengthy suspension that would essentially silence a constituency and ordered the senator from Kogi Central to return immediately.
However, the women’s group cautioned that the ruling would “open the floodgates of indiscipline, misinformation, and abuse of legislative privilege” in Nigeria’s parliament if it is not contested.
The organization pointed out that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension came after she completely disregarded the red chamber’s leadership and senate regulations.
“We are female. We are moms. However, we are not oblivious to recklessness masquerading as bravery. When a woman is elected to the prestigious chamber, she must honor that position and refrain from using it to further personal grudges or disparage her state without doing her research, Abdullahi stated.
The coalition characterized the six-month suspension as “a proportionate response to the gravity of Natasha’s conduct” and insisted that the Senate had exercised its disciplinary authority.
Additionally, the organization denied Justice Nyako’s claim that the suspension violated the rights of Kogi Central residents.
“The representative of Kogi Central was suspended, not the locals. And they are entitled to better than a lawmaker whose actions frequently turn into provocation instead of policy, the statement said.
Abdullahi charged that certain global organizations and regional activists were “weaponizing feminism” in order to cover up inappropriate behavior and subvert established norms.
“Ignorance is not a sign of feminism. Promoting the misuse of parliamentary immunity is not empowering women. The punishment would have been uncontested if a male senator had made such accusations without supporting documentation. “This selective outrage is dangerous and hypocritical,” she warned.
The coalition maintained that judicial restraint was necessary in cases pertaining to internal legislative discipline, even while it recognized the court’s responsibility in resolving disagreements.
They urged the Senate to appeal the ruling all the way to the Supreme Court, arguing that clarity regarding the boundaries of judicial interference in legislative procedures is essential to the long-term viability of Nigeria’s democracy.
“To back down at this point would be to cede the Senate’s constitutional power to punish its members. In addition to defending the Natasha case, we are urging the Senate to promptly launch an appeal in order to preserve its institutional dignity.
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The group also criticized Akpoti-Uduaghan for what it called “a pattern of political exhibitionism,” claiming that she uses every disciplinary matter as a platform for gendered media spectacles.
Provocation and confrontation have been the cornerstones of Natasha’s entire political career. Although it could receive praise on social media, Abdullahi asserted that governance is not a type of performance art.
The coalition responded to the court’s N5 million fine against Akpoti-Uduaghan for breaking its previous gag order by calling it a “mild but symbolic rebuke” and urging the senator to exercise greater moderation in her public behavior.
We hope she makes the payment discreetly and takes some time to think. The group stated, “Democracy is not a theater for perpetual drama.”
The coalition stated that it will be formally requesting a prompt action to file an appeal in a letter to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, copying all presiding officers.
Our stance is unwavering: the Senate must uphold its ruling unless a higher court declares otherwise. Abdullahi said, “That ruling shouldn’t be the final word.
