A civil society organisation, the Centre for Leadership Training (CLT), has thrown its weight behind the Senate over the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, insisting that the lawmaker cannot resume until the courts decide on the matter.
In a statement on Tuesday, CLT President, Chief Azuka Francis, faulted Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claim that her six-month suspension had lapsed, describing it as “premature and inconsistent” with the Senate’s resolution.
“Senator Natasha’s stated resumption date is erroneous. Her suspension runs its full course until Saturday, September 6, 2025. It is therefore premature for her to attempt a return before the expiration of the subsisting sanction,” Francis said.
The group added that since the senator had already challenged her suspension in court, both she and the Senate must allow the judiciary to make its final pronouncement.
The statement reads in part, “First, Senator Natasha’s stated resumption date is erroneous. Her suspension, as resolved by the Senate, runs its full course until Saturday, September 6, 2025. It is therefore premature and inconsistent with the Senate’s resolution for her to attempt a return before the expiration of the subsisting sanction.
“Secondly, Senator Natasha has herself taken the matter before the court of law, seeking redress against the Senate’s disciplinary action. As a law-abiding institution founded on the principles of constitutionalism, separation of powers, and respect for judicial authority, the Senate cannot — and will not — act in a manner that prejudices the ongoing judicial process.
“It is therefore imperative for both Senator Natasha and the institution she is a part of to allow the court’s final adjudication on the matter. Any attempt to short-circuit due process, whether by misrepresenting timelines or seeking to preempt judicial pronouncements, undermines the rule of law which every legislator has sworn to uphold.
“The Senate remains firmly committed to fairness, discipline, and the sanctity of its internal rules, while at the same time demonstrating absolute fidelity to the Nigerian Constitution and the authority of the courts. Until the judiciary has made its final pronouncement, all parties must exercise patience, respect due process, and uphold the integrity of democratic institutions”.
Their position echoes a September 4, 2025 letter from the Acting Clerk of the National Assembly, Dr. Yahaya Danzaria, who formally declined Akpoti-Uduaghan’s request to return to plenary. He stressed that the matter remains sub judice, and no administrative action could be taken until the Court of Appeal rules.
“The subject matter of your suspension is presently before the Court of Appeal. The matter, therefore, remains sub judice, and until the judicial process is concluded and the Senate formally reviews the suspension in the light of the Court’s pronouncement, no administrative action can be taken by this office to facilitate your resumption,” the Clerk stated.
While the Clerk also noted that the suspension took effect from Thursday, March 6, 2025, and is still a subject of litigation at the Court of Appeal, CLT urged patience from all parties, stressing that any attempt to preempt the courts would undermine the rule of law and democratic institutions.