The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP has dragged Senate President Godswill Akpabio to court over what it described as the “patently unlawful” suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
SERAP disclosed this in a press release on Sunday by ist Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare.
The suit, filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeks to overturn the six-month suspension, which SERAP argued violates the senator’s fundamental rights and deprives her constituents of representation.
SERAP, in the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/498/2025, is asking the court for “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio to rescind the unlawful suspension of Mrs Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, reinstate her, and fully restore all her legislative rights, entitlements, and privileges.”
Recall that the Akpabio-led Senate had swiftly suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan without fair hearing for alleged “misconduct” – for refusing to accept her new seat in the red chamber.
She had accused Akpabio of sexually harassing her, and changing her seat because she did not oblige to his sexual advances.
“Being a senator does not deprive Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan of her fundamental human rights.
“The Senate should be setting an example by upholding the rule of law and promoting and protecting human rights, not stamping them out,” it said in the suit.
The rights group is also seeking “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Senate from further suspending or taking any disciplinary action against Mrs Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan solely for the peaceful exercise of her fundamental human rights.”
SERAP further argued that “the suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan from the Senate has restricted and seriously undermined the ability of the residents of her Kogi Central Senatorial District to effectively participate in their own government.”
SERAP also cited the Nigerian Constitution’s Section 39, which guarantees freedom of expression, stating that “every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.”
No date has been fixed for hearing in the suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare and Mrs. Adelanke Aremo.
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