The six-month suspension slammed on the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan by the Senate contradicts the judgments of the courts on the suspension of Ali Ndume, Ovie Omo-Agege, Dino Melaye and other federal and state lawmakers, Ejiofor Alike reports
Despite the position of the Court of Appeal in the case of the Speaker of Bauchi State House of Assembly Vs Hon Rifkatu Samson Danna (2017) 49 W.R.N that a lawmaker is a representative of his people whose membership of the House is guaranteed by the Constitution and not by any other person or persons, the Senate and its leadership have continued to use suspension as an instrument to oppress, intimidate and whip lawmakers into line.
The Court of Appeal, while ruling on Danna’s suspension, had declared that “the conduct of the appellants (state lawmakers) is the tyranny of the majority against an elected minority of the Bauchi State House of Assembly.”