SERAP sues Akpabio over Akpoti Uduaghan’s suspension
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has sued Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over what it described as the “patently unlawful” suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
SERAP made this known in a post on it’s official X handle on Sunday.
The suit, filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeks to overturn the six-month suspension, which SERAP argued violates the senator’s fundamental rights and deprives her constituents of representation.
It was titled, “SERAP sues Akpabio over failure to reverse the unlawful suspension of Natasha Akpoti.’
SERAP, in the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/498/2025, is asking the court for “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Mr Akpabio to rescind the unlawful suspension of Mrs Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, reinstate her, and fully restore all her legislative rights, entitlements, and privileges.”
SERAP, however, insisted that the action is unconstitutional, stating that “no one should ever be punished for ‘speaking without permission.’
“Being a senator does not deprive Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan of her fundamental human rights.The Senate should be setting an example by upholding the rule of law and promoting and protecting human rights, not stamping them out,” it said.
The rights group is also seeking “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Senate from further suspending or taking any disciplinary action against Mrs Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan solely for the peaceful exercise of her fundamental human rights.”
In its legal arguments, SERAP contended that the suspension is a violation of the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a signatory.
