A Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Binta Nyako, on Friday, ordered the Senate to recall the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended, last March by the Senate for six months for alleged gross misconduct, days after a face-off with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over a change of sitting arrangement in the chambers during plenary.
She consequently accused Senator Akpabio of making sexual advances at her and later petitioned the United Nations over the issue.
Justice Nyako in the ruling, described as “excessive”, the six-month suspension that was slammed on the lawmaker by the Senate.
The court faulted the provision of Chapter 8 of the Senate Standing Rules as well as Section 14 of the Legislative Houses, Powers & Privileges Act, declaring both as overreaching.
It stressed that the two legislations failed to specify the maximum period that a serving lawmaker could be suspended from office.
According to the court, since lawmakers have a total of 181 days to sit in every legislative circle, the six-month suspension handed to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was akin to pushing her away from her responsibilities to her constituents for about 180 days.
