The Senate has stated it cannot reinstate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan until it reviews the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Federal High Court judgment concerning her case with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs and the Senate’s spokesperson, conveyed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
The Senate had suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months on March 6, following allegations of sexual harassment she made against Akpabio.
Her suspension, which included the withdrawal of her salary and security details and a ban from the National Assembly premises, was based on a recommendation from the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions, presented by its Chairman, Senator Neda Imasuen (APC-Edo South).
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan subsequently challenged her suspension at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, where Justice Binta Nyako last week ordered the Senate to recall her. However, the court also sanctioned Akpoti-Uduaghan for contempt and fined her ₦5 million.
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Adaramodu emphasized that the upper legislative chamber has applied for the CTC of the judgment since Monday.
He stated that the Senate cannot take a definitive position on the matter until the document is received and thoroughly studied.
“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. 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 explained.
Adaramodu also expressed concern that some Nigerians were misinterpreting the situation due to a “low level of understanding” of the Senate’s operations, suggesting they wish for the National Assembly to be a lawless institution.
He asserted that the Senate is legally empowered to create its own guiding rules, without which chaos would ensue.
He referenced the court’s recent ruling in the case, noting that it affirmed the Senate’s constitutional power to establish rules for its activities.
“It was for this that we have Standing Orders. And enforcing the orders means that anybody who contravenes it, the aggregated whole chamber of the Senate can reprimand such a person,’’ he said.
Adaramodu also expressed regret that, despite the court’s ruling, some people continued to misrepresent the situation, perhaps expecting that rules could be disobeyed without consequence.
He argued that if the Senate has the authority to reprimand an offending senator and there’s no specified duration for such reprimand in their rules, then the length of suspension is at the Senate’s discretion.
He concluded by stating that those unfamiliar with legislative processes might not fully comprehend how the legislature operates.
The Senator, representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, clarified that the 180-day suspension handed to Akpoti-Uduaghan included non-parliamentary days, contrasting it with the rule that requires adherence to “180 parliamentary days.”
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