Women’s Coalition Urges Senate to Appeal Reinstatement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

More than 1,000 civil society organizations advocating for women’s rights have called on the Nigerian Senate to challenge the court ruling that reinstated Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was previously suspended for six months.

The call came from the Coalition of Concerned Women for Legislative Integrity (CCWLI) in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, describing Friday’s judgment as “deeply troubling” and a potential threat to parliamentary discipline and democratic accountability.

Barr. Nana Amina Abdullahi, the group’s National President, urged Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other chamber leaders not to be swayed by public pressure or populism.

“This is not about gender or popularity. It’s about discipline, accountability, and the dignity of Nigeria’s legislative arm,” Abdullahi said.

She argued that the Federal High Court ruling, which declared the six-month suspension unconstitutional, undermines the Senate’s ability to enforce internal discipline and sets a dangerous precedent.

Court Ruling vs. Senate Authority

Justice Binta Nyako ruled that the Senate had no authority to suspend a lawmaker in a manner that would effectively silence an entire constituency. She ordered Akpoti-Uduaghan’s immediate return to her duties representing Kogi Central.

But the CCWLI countered that:

• The Senate acted within its rights in disciplining the senator

• The people of Kogi Central were not suspended, only their representative

• The suspension was proportionate to the senator’s alleged conduct

• Allowing the judgment to stand would open “floodgates of indiscipline and abuse of privilege.”

The coalition also pushed back against what it described as the “weaponization of feminism” to shield misconduct.

“We are women. We are mothers. But we are not blind to recklessness paraded as courage,” Abdullahi said.

“If a male senator had acted the same way, the punishment would have stood without this outcry. This selective outrage is not feminism it’s hypocrisy.”

She further accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of turning every disciplinary matter into a “gendered media spectacle.”

Appeal Is Necessary for Democracy, Group Says

The coalition announced it would petition the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, urging an immediate appeal of the ruling.

“Any attempt to back down now would amount to surrendering the Senate’s constitutional authority,” Abdullahi declared.

“Until a higher court says otherwise, the Senate must stand by its decision. That judgment should not be the last word.”

They also addressed the court’s N5 million fine imposed on Akpoti-Uduaghan for breaching a previous gag order, calling it a “mild but symbolic rebuke.”