Nigeria’s legislative houses appear to be turning more frequently to suspension as a “disciplinary” tool against their members, raising an important question: what effect does this have on citizens’ representation? From the National Assembly, where Senator Abdul Ningi was suspended in 2024 but has since returned, and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan remains suspended in 2025, to state legislatures in Benue and Anambra, suspensions are fast becoming a recurring feature of the 10th National Assembly.
In 2024, Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central) was suspended for three months after alleging in a media interview that Nigeria’s 2024 budget was padded. More recently, on March 6, 2025, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) was suspended for what the Senate described as “gross misconduct” after a public spat with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio (APC, Akwa Ibom North West).
At the state level, the trend has remained. In Benue State, four lawmakers were suspended in late July, only to be reinstated days later during an unusual “emergency” plenary held on a Sunday, an uncommon day for legislative business. Soon after, Speaker Aondona Dajoh (APC, Gboko West) who spearheaded the suspension, resigned abruptly and, within two days, was himself suspended following the election of a new Speaker. These rapid shifts are widely seen as fallout from the political tussle between factions loyal to Governor Hyacinth Alia and those aligned with Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume who belong to different political parties.
In Anambra State, the House of Assembly recently suspended Hon. Benard Udemezue (PDP, Ayamelum Constituency) for three months without pay. The official reason was that his social media posts were judged by the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges to have “maliciously damaged” the image of the legislature. Yet, critics argue that the real motivation lies in his vocal criticism of the state governor, whose party controls the majority in the Assembly. The severity of the punishment has raised eyebrows, not least because it sidelines a duly elected representative and leaves his constituents without a voice in the legislature.
Apart from concerns that these suspensions may sometimes be politically motivated or aimed at silencing dissenting member’s voices, there is also the added concern that constituents of suspended members are being denied their right to legislative representation.
Beyond the politics, there is a deeper concern. Every suspension effectively sidelines not just the lawmaker, but also the community of citizens who entrusted that member with their mandate. In a democracy already struggling with public confidence, routinely depriving citizens of their representation only compounds the crisis. Suspensions may be permitted under legislative rules, but when wielded too easily or for reasons that appear political rather than disciplinary, they undermine the very foundations of representative democracy.