The legal team representing the Senate in the case concerning the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) has publicly challenged her assertion that a Federal High Court order mandates her immediate recall from legislative duties.
In a statement issued to journalists on Monday in Abuja by the law firm of Paul Daudu, and Co., the Senate’s legal representatives responded to a viral social media video.
In the video, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan announced plans to resume her legislative duties on Tuesday, citing a July 4 ruling by Hon. Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja as her basis for recall.
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However, the Senate’s counsel firmly refuted this interpretation of the court’s decision. “Our position is clear,” the statement read.
“The judgement of the Honourable Court did not contain any express order setting aside or nullifying the six-month suspension.”
Paul Daudu, who attended the court proceedings, clarified that the judge merely offered an obiter dictum—a legal opinion not constituting a binding part of the judgment—suggesting that the suspension might be excessive given its impact on the Kogi Central constituents’ right to representation.
Daudu stressed, “This opinion was not crystallised into any enforceable court order.”
The legal team warned that public claims implying a binding directive from the court to the Senate could lead to confusion within the legislative environment and undermine the institutional respect between the judiciary and the National Assembly.
They emphasized that the enrolled order—the official court record of the judgment—had not yet been made available, cautioning against any action until all parties have reviewed the formal pronouncement.
“This is not only to avoid contemptuous conduct,” the statement noted, “but to ensure that all actions taken henceforth align strictly with the actual tenor and intendment of the judgment.”
The statement concluded by urging Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal representatives to exercise restraint and professionalism, warning that premature actions could precipitate a constitutional crisis or legislative disorder.
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