Warns that keeping elected lawmakers away from their seats sets a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy
A human rights lawyer, Oluwaseyi Faro of Deji Adeyanju & Partners, has condemned the prolonged suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, describing it as an assault on democratic principles and a denial of the rights of the people of Kogi Central to be represented in the National Assembly.
Faro warned that the refusal of the Senate to reinstate Senator Natasha, despite the expiration of her six-month suspension in the first week of September 2025, has created a constitutional crisis with far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s democracy. He said the decision to withhold her resumption under the guise of a pending appeal and stay of enforcement on the judgment of the Federal High Court not only undermines the rule of law but also sets a precedent that could be exploited against any lawmaker in the future.
According to him, the Senate leadership’s argument that the stay of enforcement order from the Court of Appeal justifies keeping Senator Natasha away from her legislative duties is legally defective and politically dangerous. He stressed that suspensions under Order 68(7) of the Senate Standing Orders, 2023 (as amended), are time-bound and automatically expire once the stipulated period lapses.
“Under Order 68(7) of the Senate Standing Orders, suspensions cannot last beyond the prescribed period. Once that time elapses, the Senator has the right to return to her seat,” Faro stated. He insisted that neither the appeal nor the stay of the enforcement order can extend the suspension or override the Senate’s own rules.
The human rights lawyer further argued that prolonging Senator Natasha’s suspension amounts to punishing her twice, first with the six-month sanction, and again by denying her re-entry after serving out the term. He emphasized that this amounts to silencing not only the Senator but also the voices of her constituents.
“A senator’s mandate does not belong to the senator as a person; it belongs to the people. When you silence that voice, you silence the electorate. The refusal to allow her return is a direct denial of representation for Kogi Central,” he added.
Faro stressed that the only honourable course left for the Senate is to permit Senator Natasha to resume her duties immediately while the substantive case continues at the Court of Appeal. This, he said, would demonstrate respect for both the Constitution and the principle of sovereignty which, according to Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), belongs to the people.
He cautioned that if the Senate continues down this path, it opens the door for arbitrary and indefinite suspensions of lawmakers under the cover of pending court cases. Such a precedent, he warned, would erode public confidence in democratic institutions and weaken the people’s trust in their representatives.
Faro concluded that the Senate leadership must rise above legal technicalities and political manoeuvring to protect the sanctity of democracy. “The Constitution is clear: the people must be represented at all times. To do otherwise is to undermine democracy itself,” he declared.
0 Comments