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SERAP has filed a lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
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The lawsuit is over the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, which SERAP considers unlawful.
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SERAP is seeking an order to reverse the suspension and restore Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legislative rights and privileges.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over “the failure to reverse the patently unlawful suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.”
According to SERAP, “the purported suspension is based solely on the peaceful exercise of her right to freedom of expression.”
Akpabio is sued for himself and on behalf of all members of the Senate.
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The Senate recently suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months, after she reportedly ‘spoke without permission’ and ‘refused her new seat in the Senate chamber.’
Her salary and allowances have also been withheld for the duration of the suspension, and she has been barred from identifying herself as a senator.
In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/498/2025 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel Akpabio to rescind the unlawful suspension of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, reinstate her, and fully restore all her legislative rights, entitlements, and privileges.”
SERAP is also seeking “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Senate from further suspending or taking any disciplinary action against Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan solely for the peaceful exercise of her fundamental human rights.”
According to Kolawole Oluwadare and Mrs Adelanke Aremo, lawyers for SERAP, “Granting this application would serve the public interest and promote respect for the rights of everyone in the National Assembly.”
“No one should ever be punished for ‘speaking without permission’,” SERAP argued. “Being a senator does not deprive 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.”
SERAP also stated that “Punishing Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan solely for peacefully expressing herself is unlawful, unnecessary and disproportionate. Her suspension would also have a disproportionate chilling effect on the ability of other members of the Senate to freely express themselves and exercise their human rights.”
The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers read in part: “No member of the Senate should suffer any consequences for peacefully exercising their freedom of expression.”
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“Any application of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 by the Senate must conform with constitutional and international human rights norms and standards relating to freedom of expression and should not jeopardise the right itself.”
“A higher degree of tolerance is expected when it is a political speech and an even higher threshold is required when it is directed towards government officials including members of the Senate.”
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
CBN Under Fire As SERAP Demands Reversal of ATM Transaction Fee Hike
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has given the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) a 48-hour ultimatum to reverse the newly announced hike in Automated Teller Machine (ATM) transaction fees.
In an open letter dated February 15, 2025, signed by SERAP Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation urged CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso to immediately reverse the policy.
