Former federal lawmaker and Senior Advocate of Nigeria West Idahosa has challenged the legality of Senator Natasha Akpoti’s extended suspension, asserting that the Senate has overstepped its constitutional boundaries.
In a Channels TV interview, SAN Idahosa emphatically stated that parliamentary suspensions face strict legal limitations. “You can’t suspend a sitting senator or lawmaker for more than 14 days, and not only that, you can also not suspend without hearing the other party,” Idahosa declared.
Addressing the suggestion that Senator Natasha failed to appear before the Ethics Committee prior to her suspension, the Senior Advocate offered an alternative explanation: “She filed an action, and she was probably present in court. So, it will depend on whether there was a proving means of proof of service on the Ethics Committee meeting by the Senate.”
He further criticized Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s handling of the entire situation, emphasizing the dual responsibilities of leadership. “The Senate President is the interpreter of their rules. And so, in interpreting the rules, you have two obligations: you have to be compassionate and, at the same time, you have to be humanistic,” he explained. “Remember, we are dealing with human beings, and then you must recognize that the world recognizes the endangered nature of female politicians.”
The legal expert further pointed out the flaws in the new seating arrangements that led to the whole fracas: “Even in the reallocation of seats, there is a notification. I am aware that text messages are either sent or a publication done. So, if you didn’t get any of that, you suddenly come to the Senate on that day, and some legislative staff say, ‘No, you can’t stay here; this is where you are going to sit as a member of the Senate.’ You are not a slave. Remember that part of what qualifies you to remain in the Senate is that you were elected. So, the right to speak as a senator is guaranteed, and the right to protest is guaranteed.”