More than 1,000 civil society organizations that support women have called on the Nigerian Senate to challenge the Federal High Court’s decision to reinstate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan very away.
In a statement released in Abuja on Monday, the Coalition of Concerned Women for Legislative Integrity, or CCWLI, called Friday’s ruling “deeply troubling” and “a potential threat to the sanctity of parliamentary discipline and democratic integrity.”
Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the Red Chamber leadership were urged by the coalition’s national president, Barr Nana Amina Abdullahi, to uphold the legislature’s independence and “not allow populist sentiment or external pressure to override the duty 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 group pointed out that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension came after she completely disregarded Senate regulations and the Red Chamber’s leadership.
“We are women. We are mothers. But we are not blind to recklessness paraded as courage. A woman who gets elected into the hallowed chamber must carry that privilege with honour, not use it to wage vendettas or cast aspersions on her state without due diligence,” Abdullahi said.
The coalition claimed that the Senate acted within its disciplinary powers and described the six-month suspension as “a proportionate response to the gravity of Natasha’s conduct.”
The group also rejected Justice Nyako’s assertion that the suspension infringed on the rights of Kogi Central constituents.
“The people of Kogi Central were not suspended; their representative was. And they deserve better than a lawmaker whose interventions often descend into provocation rather than policy,” the statement read.
Abdullahi accused some international organisations and local activists of “weaponising feminism” to shield bad behaviour and undermine institutional standards.
“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.
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.
About The Author
