A Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday affirmed the power of the Senate to discipline any member for unethical conduct.
Justice Binta Nyako delivered her ruling on Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Senate President Godswill Akpabio case.
The court however, expressed concern over the long period of suspension, which she said could deny the Senator’s Constituency voice in the Senate.
The Court therefore ordered the Senate to recall her and that she should apologise to the Senate.
Justice Binta Nyako, in a judgment on Friday, held that under the Senate Rules, the Senate President is empowered to allocate seats for members and such a member is only allowed to speak from the seat allocated to him or her.
Justice Nyako found that since Natasha was not speaking from the sit allocated to her during the Senate’s sitting of February 20, she was not entitled to be heard
The judge held that although the Senate could suspend its members, it should reconsider the period of such suspension.
She urged the Senate to consider recalling her to afford her the opportunity to represent her constituency and for her to also apologise to the Senate.
