The Nigerian Senate has responded cautiously to a Federal High Court ruling that nullified the six-month suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, insisting that her reinstatement will not be immediate and will depend on specific conditions being met.
The court, presided over by Justice Binta Nyako, ruled on Friday that the Senate’s suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan was “excessive” and ordered her reinstatement. Recall that the Kogi Central senator was suspended in March following allegations of gross misconduct after a confrontation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over seating arrangements in the chamber.
However, Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu stated that the court’s decision does not override the Senate’s constitutional authority to discipline its members. According to him, the judgment would be studied thoroughly, and the Senate would act within its institutional framework
“The Nigerian Senate is a creation of the Constitution, and we will not allow any judgment to dilute our powers to maintain discipline and order in the chamber,” Adaramodu said.
The controversy surrounding Akpoti-Uduaghan escalated dramatically when she alleged in a televised interview that her suspension was a form of retaliation for rejecting Akpabio’s purported sexual advances—an allegation that the Senate has not officially addressed but which further inflamed the political tension.
