A coalition of aggrieved constituents from Kogi Central Senatorial District has formally petitioned the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, Senator Neda Imasuen.
The petition accuses the senators of abuse of office and violation of their oath by suspending their representative, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, despite an interim court injunction restraining such action.
The petition, signed by seventy constituents and addressed to the Chairman of the CCB, Dr. Abdullahi Usman Bello, on Monday, alleges that the lawmakers acted arbitrarily and prejudicially by disregarding a Federal High Court order. The injunction, secured by Akpoti-Uduaghan on March 4, 2025, had explicitly barred the Senate from proceeding with disciplinary actions against her pending a motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction.
Despite the legal directive, Senator Imasuen allegedly proceeded with the Ethics Committee hearing on March 5, a date different from the originally scheduled March 11. The committee swiftly prepared and presented its report to the Senate floor on March 6, recommending a six-month suspension for Akpoti-Uduaghan—far exceeding the 14-legislative-day limit prescribed by Senate Rules.
Senate President Akpabio, presiding over the session, reportedly approved the recommendation, ignoring both the court order and the internal legislative rules. Senate Leader Bamidele also endorsed the decision, despite being a member of the Body of Benchers, a legal institution responsible for upholding legal ethics in Nigeria.
The petitioners argue that these actions amount to a breach of the lawmakers’ constitutional duties and a deliberate disenfranchisement of Kogi Central constituents, who are now left without representation in the Senate. They cite Paragraph 9 of the Fifth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution, which prohibits public officials from engaging in arbitrary acts that infringe upon the rights of others.
The consequences of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension, according to the petition, include loss of access to Senate premises, forfeiture of financial entitlements, withdrawal of security details, and an order barring her from identifying as a senator.
The petitioners are demanding a thorough investigation into the conduct of the implicated senators and are calling for the immediate reinstatement of their representative. They have urged the CCB to act swiftly in holding the accused accountable for what they describe as an unconstitutional abuse of power.
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Godswill Akpabio
