Despite the Federal High Court ruling voiding the six-month suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Nigerian Senate has refused to reinstate her immediately, insisting that “the onus is now on her.”
Justice Binta Nyako delivered a judgement at the Friday sitting in Abuja and described the senator’s suspension as excessive and a violation of the right of Kogi Central constituents to parliamentary representation. The judge emphasized that while the Senate has the power to discipline its members, such actions must respect democratic principles and citizens’ constitutional rights.
Recall that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended in March after a heated disagreement with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over seating arrangements — a rift that later escalated into a televised claim by the senator that she was being punished for rejecting alleged sexual advances from the Senate President, a claim he denies.
In response to the court ruling, Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu said the red chamber would not take any action until the senator fulfills specific conditions laid out by the court — including publishing a formal apology in two national newspapers and on her Facebook page within seven days, for a satirical post that the court ruled amounted to contempt.
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“We’re not the ones to act now,” Adaramodu said. “She has to comply with the court’s orders first. Only after that will the Senate sit and consider its next steps. The ball is in her court.”
The court also imposed a ₦5 million fine and criticized parts of the Senate’s standing rules and the Legislative Houses’ Act for not clearly stating limits on disciplinary suspensions.
However, Senate counsel Paul Daudu, SAN, insisted that the Senate’s authority remains intact. “This judgment reaffirms that the Senate has the constitutional right to discipline members,” he stated, claiming that the ruling did not explicitly order Natasha’s reinstatement, but only questioned the suspension’s duration.
On the other hand, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar praised the court’s decision and Senator Natasha’s resolve to fight back legally.
“I commend Justice Nyako for lifting the obnoxious suspension,” Atiku posted on social media. “And I salute Sen. Natasha for standing her ground in a chamber where women are already vulnerable.”