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LAWMAKERS WHO SUFFERED SUSPENSION BY NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Senate on Thursday suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months due to alleged misconduct in the red chamber.
This decision was made after reviewing and adopting a report presented by Senator Neda Imasuen, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, during the plenary session.
Several other senators have previously faced suspension for various reasons.
Below is a list of some of these lawmakers and the circumstances surrounding their sanctions:
- Joseph Waku
Joseph Waku, a senator from Benue State, was suspended in 2000 after making controversial statements. He suggested that a military coup would be a preferable option rather than allowing former President Olusegun Obasanjo to continue his alleged dictatorship. Waku strongly criticized Obasanjo’s administration, calling it the worst in Nigeria’s history. His remarks sparked widespread condemnation, ultimately leading to his suspension by the Senate. He passed away on February 3, 2019.
- Arthur Nzeribe
Arthur Nzeribe, who represented Imo State, was indefinitely suspended in November 2002 by then-Senate President Pius Anyim over allegations of a N22 million fraud. He later passed away in 2022 at the age of 83.
- Ali Ndume
In 2017, Ali Ndume, the senator representing Borno South, was suspended for six months for allegedly embarrassing then-Senate President Bukola Saraki and Dino Melaye, a former senator from Kogi West.
Ndume had called for an investigation into claims that the Senate was retaliating against Hameed Ali, the former Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), over the seizure of a bulletproof car reportedly linked to Saraki. Additionally, he urged the Senate to probe Melaye over allegations of certificate forgery. However, both Saraki and Melaye were later cleared of these accusations by a Senate panel.
- Ovie Omo-Agege
Omo-Agege, a senator from Delta State, was suspended in 2018 after opposing the election reordering bill. Despite apologizing for his stance, he sought a court order preventing the Senate from suspending him. His defiance reportedly angered some of his colleagues, who pushed for his suspension.
- Abdul Ningi
On Tuesday, March 12, 2024, the Senate suspended Abdul Ningi for three months following his claim that the 2024 budget was inflated by N3 trillion. His suspension led him to step down as Chairman of the Northern Senators Forum (NSF).
- Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, has linked her suspension to her refusal to accept alleged sexual advances from Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In an interview with Arise Television on Friday, she recounted her version of events, which began with a dispute over the sudden relocation of her Senate seat without prior notice. Her protest against this action led to a brief disruption in the legislative proceedings.
