ABUJA — The Nigerian Senate says it will not act on the court order reinstating Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan until it has received and reviewed the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday. He said the Senate is awaiting official documentation before making any move to recall the embattled senator.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, was suspended by the Senate on March 6, 2025, for six months over allegations of sexual harassment she leveled against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. The suspension followed recommendations by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, which found her in violation of Senate rules.
As part of the disciplinary measures, her salary, security details, and access to the National Assembly complex were withdrawn.
Following her suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking redress. In a ruling delivered last week, Justice Binta Nyako ordered the Senate to recall the senator, but also imposed a N5 million fine on her for contempt of court.
Responding to the ruling, Senator Adaramodu confirmed that the Senate had formally requested the CTC of the judgment and would study it carefully before taking any action.
“The Senate had applied for the CTC since Monday. We expect to receive the document, and upon receipt, we will comply with the court order’s content,” he said.
“But first, the Senate will sit and consider the contents of the CTC, and when we look at the contents, then we shall take a position.”
He also criticized the public outcry surrounding the issue, suggesting that many commentators lacked understanding of the legislative process.
“The Senate, by law, is empowered to make its own rules. If we don’t have rules guiding us, we’ll be like barbarians,” he said.
“Some people want a lawless Senate. But even the court has affirmed that the Senate has the constitutional power to establish and enforce its rules.”
Adaramodu further defended the Senate’s 180-day suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan, clarifying that it referred to parliamentary days, not calendar days.
“What the Senate rules say is that you should observe, adhere to, and fulfil 180 parliamentary days,” he emphasized.
He added that the length of the suspension remains at the Senate’s discretion, as no law prescribes a limit for how long disciplinary measures should last.
As of now, the Senate has not set a timeline for Akpoti-Uduaghan’s possible recall. Her legal victory has generated significant public attention, with critics and supporters closely watching the Senate’s next move.
