A former Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Benin Branch, Douglas Ogbankwa, has faulted the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, describing the decision of the Senate as “a clear case of double standards.”
Ogbankwa, speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief programme on Wednesday, argued that the Senate acted outside the law by suspending the Kogi Central lawmaker while her case against the upper chamber was still pending in court. According to him, the decision undermined the principle of fair hearing and due process.
“One thing that is important is to follow the sequence of events. Both parties have been in arbitration before the law one way or the other. While she was still in court, the Senate proceeded to pronounce the suspension on her. As far as I’m concerned, that is double standards,” Ogbankwa said.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on March 6, 2025, after a heated confrontation in the Senate chamber. She was accused of breaching parliamentary rules, with the Senate handing her a six-month suspension despite objections from some colleagues.
The senator, however, took the matter to court, insisting that her suspension not only violated her rights but also disenfranchised the people of Kogi Central who elected her to represent them. Her legal team has continued to argue that the action of the Senate has no constitutional backing.
Ogbankwa acknowledged that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s conduct on the chamber floor could be seen as unbecoming but stressed that the Constitution does not empower the Senate to suspend a duly elected lawmaker. “The right to representation belongs to the people, and any attempt to take that away must be backed by constitutional provisions, not political sentiment,” he said.
The controversy adds to the mounting debate over legislative accountability and constitutional checks. Legal analysts say the outcome of the case could set a major precedent on the limits of parliamentary authority in Nigeria.
