Appeal Natasha Akpoti Reinstatement Ruling, Women Groups Urge Senate
The Coalition of Concerned Women for Legislative Integrity (CCWLI), a network of over 1,000 women-focused civil society organisations, has called on the Nigerian Senate to immediately appeal the Federal High Court ruling reinstating Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
In a statement issued Monday in Abuja, the coalition described the court’s decision as “deeply troubling” and warned it could erode the sanctity of parliamentary discipline and institutional integrity.
Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had ruled that the Kogi Central senator’s six-month suspension was excessive and without legal basis. The court ordered her immediate reinstatement, arguing that the Senate lacked the constitutional authority to impose such a prolonged suspension that effectively left her constituents unrepresented.
Reacting to the verdict, CCWLI National President, Barrister Nana Amina Abdullahi, urged Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the Red Chamber’s leadership to resist populist pressures and uphold the Senate’s internal disciplinary authority.
“We urge the Senate not to be swayed by emotion or external pressure,” Abdullahi stated. “This is about maintaining standards, not silencing voices. The legislature must protect its rules and dignity.”
The group argued that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension followed repeated breaches of Senate rules and open defiance of chamber leadership.
“We are women. We are mothers. But we are not blind to recklessness paraded as courage,” Abdullahi said. “A woman elected into the hallowed chamber must carry that privilege with honour — not turn it into a tool for vendettas or inflammatory claims against her state.”
Describing the six-month suspension as a “measured response” to the senator’s conduct, the coalition rejected the notion that it infringed on the rights of her constituents.
Read Also:
“The people of Kogi Central were not suspended. Their representative was — and justifiably so,” the statement read. “They deserve a lawmaker who champions policy, not provocation.”
The coalition also accused some international organisations and local activists of “weaponising feminism” to excuse misconduct and undermine institutional discipline.
“It is not feminism to defend indiscipline. If a male senator had acted the same way, the consequences would have been swift and uncontroversial,” Abdullahi said. “This selective outrage is not only hypocritical—it is dangerous.”
While acknowledging the judiciary’s role in upholding the law, the group cautioned against judicial overreach in matters of internal legislative discipline.
They urged the Senate to take the case to the Court of Appeal and, if necessary, to the Supreme Court to establish legal clarity on the limits of judicial intervention in parliamentary affairs.
“Backing down now would mean ceding the Senate’s constitutional authority,” Abdullahi said. “This appeal is not just about Senator Natasha—it’s about the institutional integrity of the Nigerian legislature.”
The group also criticised what it called Akpoti-Uduaghan’s “pattern of political exhibitionism,” accusing her of turning disciplinary matters into gender-based media spectacles.
“Her politics is built around confrontation and controversy. But governance demands responsibility, not performance art,” Abdullahi added.
Commenting on the N5 million fine imposed on Akpoti-Uduaghan for violating a court gag order, the group described it as “a mild but meaningful rebuke” and encouraged the senator to reflect on her actions.
“We hope she pays the fine quietly and uses the time to reflect. Democracy is not a theatre for constant drama,” the coalition concluded.
The group further disclosed plans to formally petition the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, urging immediate steps toward filing an appeal.
“Our position is firm: until a higher court says otherwise, the Senate must stand by its disciplinary decision. This judgment should not be the final word,” Abdullahi stated.
