The Nigerian Senate has defended its decision to suspend Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, insisting that proper procedures were followed, even as pressure mounts for her reinstatement following a court order.
Speaking on Sunday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, said the upper chamber will not act on the court’s ruling until it receives and reviews the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgement.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, was suspended on March 6 for six months after raising allegations of sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Her suspension was based on recommendations by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions. As part of the disciplinary action, her salary, security details, and access to the National Assembly were withdrawn.
The senator later challenged her suspension in court, and last week Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered her reinstatement.
However, the Senate says it will not act hastily.
“The Senate had applied for the CTC since Monday. We expect to receive the document, and upon receipt, we will comply with the content of the court order. But first, the Senate will sit and consider the contents of the CTC,” Adaramodu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He criticised some members of the public for what he described as a poor understanding of legislative processes, warning against calls that suggest the Senate is bound to act immediately without due process.
“The Senate is empowered to make and enforce its own rules. Without those rules, we would descend into chaos,” he said.
Adaramodu noted that even the court recognised the Senate’s authority to create and enforce its internal rules, and that the disciplinary action taken was consistent with the Standing Orders of the chamber.
He further argued that while the court has issued an order, how that directive is implemented remains at the Senate’s discretion under its constitutional powers.
“If it is established that the Senate can reprimand a member, then it also has the discretion to determine the period of suspension,” he said.
Clarifying the duration of the suspension, Adaramodu explained that the 180-day sanction imposed on Akpoti-Uduaghan refers to parliamentary sitting days, not calendar days a distinction that could extend her suspension beyond six months due to legislative recesses and non-sitting periods.
The case has stirred widespread public interest, raising concerns over political power dynamics, gender equity in governance, and the transparency of disciplinary actions within the Senate.
While the Senate awaits the court’s certified judgement, the fate of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan remains uncertain, as the upper chamber balances legal obligations with its internal protocols.