Lawyer Festus Oguche says the court ruling directing the National Assembly to reinstate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was a ''sheer act of courtesy'' by the judiciary toward the legislature, noting that the House overstepped its powers when it suspended the Senator.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents the Kogi Central Constituency, was suspended by the House over allegations of misconduct and violation of House rules for six months.
However, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja nullified the suspension, declaring that the six-month suspension was excessive, unconstitutional, and an infringement on the rights of her constituents. The court ordered that she be recalled from suspension.
Speaking on Nigeria Info’s Hard Facts, Oguche explained that while sanctions may be imposed for misconduct by a member of the House, outright suspension as a form of punishment constitutes a misuse of legislative powers.
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