Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana, has strongly condemned the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, describing it as the height of legislative recklessness.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Falana criticized the Nigerian Senate for disregarding multiple judicial pronouncements that have consistently declared legislative suspensions illegal. He noted that despite a Federal High Court order restraining the Senate Ethics Committee from proceeding against Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Senate went ahead with the suspension in clear violation of judicial precedents.

The senior lawyer demanded an immediate reversal of the suspension, emphasizing that in a democracy, elected legislators must not be silenced at the discretion of powerful figures within the legislative chambers. He warned that continued impunity in the legislature poses a grave threat to the rule of law and constitutional governance.

Citing past legal victories against unlawful legislative suspensions, Falana referenced notable cases, including:

• Hon. Dino Melaye & 10 Others (2010): The Federal High Court declared the suspension illegal and ordered the payment of withheld salaries and allowances.
• Hon. Rifkatu Danna (2012 & 2017): Both the State High Court and the Court of Appeal nullified her suspension by the Bauchi State House of Assembly, reaffirming her constituents’ right to representation.
• Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin (2018): The Federal High Court voided his 180-day suspension for exposing budget padding and ordered the restoration of his salaries and allowances.
• Senator Ali Ndume (2017): His suspension by the Bukola Saraki-led Senate was annulled by the Federal High Court.
• Senator Ovie Omo-Agege (2020): The Federal High Court declared his suspension illegal and unconstitutional.
• Senator Abdul Ningi (March 2024): Suspended for alleging budget padding, but later recalled after legal pressure and the restoration of his entitlements.

Falana insisted that the suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan should be lifted without delay, as the Senate acted in defiance of a subsisting court order. He called for an end to what he described as the “official impunity” of suspending legislators at the whims of legislative leaders.

“The illegal suspension should be lifted without any further delay. Since the Federal High Court had restrained the Senate Ethics Committee from hearing the complaint against the embattled Senator pending the determination of the motion on notice, the Senate ought to have stayed action in accordance with the rule of law,” he stated.

Falana further warned that unless this pattern of unconstitutional suspensions is halted, it will continue to undermine Nigeria’s democratic institutions.