The Nigerian Senate has cautioned suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central against any attempt to resume plenary duties before the expiration of her suspension, insisting that no binding court order mandates her immediate reinstatement.
The warning came through a statement issued on Sunday by Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, amid reports that the embattled lawmaker planned to return to the red chamber next Tuesday.
“The Senate wishes to reaffirm, for the third time, that there is no subsisting court order mandating the Senate to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan before the expiration of her suspension,” Adaramodu stated.
The clarification follows claims by Akpoti-Uduaghan that a recent Federal High Court judgment delivered by Justice Binta Nyako supports her immediate return. However, the Senate insists this interpretation is misleading.
According to Adaramodu, the court’s ruling “only issued a non-binding advisory opinion suggesting the Senate consider amending its Standing Orders and reviewing the suspension,” noting that the judgment did not find the Senate in breach of any constitutional or legal provisions.
“Rather than issuing any mandatory order for her recall, the Honourable Court gave an advisory. It also found Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of contempt of court and imposed a ₦5 million fine, along with a directive to issue a public apology in two national dailies and on her Facebook page. These directives remain unfulfilled,” he added.
Adaramodu stressed that any unauthorized attempt by Akpoti-Uduaghan to reenter the chamber under the guise of a misinterpreted judgment would be deemed an affront to Senate authority and a violation of due process.
“The Senate emphasizes once more: there is no enforceable order directing her immediate return to the chamber,” he reiterated, adding that the upper legislative body will deliberate on the court’s advisory at an appropriate time and communicate its decision thereafter.
Until then, the Senate advised Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan to “stay away from the Senate chambers and allow due process to run its full course.”
