The Nigerian Senate has said it will not reinstate suspended Kogi lawmaker, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, until it receives and reviews the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Federal High Court judgment ordering her recall.
This was made known by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, during an interview with Newsmen on Sunday in Abuja.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on March 6, 2024, for six months following a recommendation by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions. The disciplinary action came after she accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment, an allegation that sparked heated debate within and outside the legislative chamber.
Dissatisfied with her suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Last week, Justice Binta Nyako ruled in her favor, ordering the Senate to lift her suspension. However, the court also found her in contempt and imposed a ₦5 million fine.
Speaking on the Senate’s response to the ruling, Senator Adaramodu confirmed that the Senate had applied for the CTC of the judgment and would not act until it has been reviewed.
“We applied for the Certified True Copy of the judgment last Monday, and once we receive it, we will study the contents thoroughly,” he said. “The Senate will sit, consider the document, and then take a position in accordance with its Standing Orders.”
He emphasized that the Senate would adhere to due legislative process, noting that discipline within the chamber is guided by internal rules and procedures.
“Anyone who is not a legislator may not fully understand how the legislature operates,” Adaramodu stated. “The Standing Orders empower the Senate to reprimand any member who violates its rules, and the duration of such disciplinary measures is at the chamber’s discretion.”
He also addressed confusion around the duration of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension, clarifying that the 180-day term includes non-sitting days.
“What our rules state is 180 days, not necessarily 180 parliamentary sitting days,” he explained.
Senator Adaramodu criticized what he described as a tendency by some to undermine legislative authority, insisting that the Senate’s actions are grounded in law and parliamentary procedure.
“As much as the court has made a pronouncement, we must still follow our own rules. Once we get the CTC, we’ll comply, but within the framework of our internal processes,” he said.
