The Nigerian Senate is moving to introduce tougher disciplinary measures for its members, following the first reading of a new bill seeking to amend the existing framework for sanctions within the legislative arm.
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The proposed legislation, titled Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was sponsored by Senator Kaka Shehu (APC, Borno Central) and passed first reading on Tuesday.
The bill aims to streamline disciplinary processes and prescribe clearly defined punishments for lawmakers who breach Senate rules, eliminating the need for protracted investigations and ad hoc committee proceedings.
Speaking with journalists after the bill scaled its initial hurdle, Senator Shehu said the amendment seeks to “tighten disciplinary measures among erring members and other related matters against other legislative procedures.”
Although the full draft of the amendment has not yet been made public, the bill arrives amid public debate over legislative accountability and internal discipline, following a court ruling against the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central).
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended in March 2025 for alleged misconduct during a February plenary session. However, on Friday, the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled the six-month suspension unlawful and excessive.
Justice Binta Nyako held that the punishment contravened the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, which limits suspension to a maximum of 14 legislative days.
The court also found the senator guilty of civil contempt for a satirical Facebook post made during the pendency of her lawsuit. While she was spared jail time, she was ordered to pay a fine of N5 million and publish an apology in two national dailies and on her Facebook page within seven days.
The ruling sparked renewed attention on the balance between legislative autonomy and the rule of law, prompting fresh scrutiny of the Senate’s disciplinary procedures.
Under Section 21(2) of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, a lawmaker’s suspension must last between one and 14 legislative days. Additionally, Order 66(8) of the Senate Standing Orders permits the Senate President to direct a suspended senator to withdraw from chamber activities, with the duration subject to the Senate’s determination—though still subject to the limits set by law.
The new amendment bill proposes to overhaul this structure by creating a system where specific offences attract standardised penalties, reducing ambiguity and avoiding excessive sanctions that risk violating constitutional rights or leaving constituents without representation.
If passed, the bill would reshape how discipline is enforced in Nigeria’s upper chamber and could have lasting implications on legislative transparency, fairness, and the protection of democratic norms.
The bill is expected to move to second reading in the coming weeks, where lawmakers will debate its provisions. It will then be referred to a committee, which may hold public hearings before advancing it to a final third reading for passage.
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