A senior lawyer, Ken Harries, has faulted suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP-Kogi) for attempting to enforce a judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which she appealed.
Harries was reacting to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s invasion of the National Assembly with her supporters on Tuesday, claiming to enforce the judgment of the Federal High Court, which she said ordered her resumption.
The senior lawyer wondered if taking the laws into one’s hands, as shown by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s conduct, was the right way to enforce a judgment.
“How do you invade the national assembly, claiming to want to enforce a judgment. There are procedures for judgment enforcement. It is not for an individual to take the law into his or her own hands, or create crisis on excuse of wanting to enforce a judgment,” Harries stated.
He recalled that Akpoti-Uduaghan filed an appeal against the judgment about a week ago, faulting the judgment and praying the Court of Appeal to set it aside.
Harries, who queried the rationale behind Akpoti-Uduaghan’s decision to invade the senate, sought to know what judgment she was seeking to enforce.
“How do you enforce a judgment that you have said you are not satisfied with, condemned, appealed and prayed the Court of Appeal to reverse?
“Assuming the judgment is still enforceable, has she complied with all the orders made against her, including payment of N5 million, and public apology, published in two newspapers and her Facebook page?
“If she has failed to obey the same judgment by not complying with the orders made against her, what moral standing does she have to accuse leadership of the senate of being lawless?
“Her lawyers should be in a better position to advise her to learn to be lawful and respect the rule of law. Whoever goes to equity must go with clean hands,” he said.
Recall that in March, Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for six months for allegedly breaking the senate standing rule. However, Akpoti-Uduaghan challenged her suspension in court and on Saturday, the Kogi senator vowed to resume sitting on Tuesday, citing the court judgment.
The senate had reaffirmed, for the third time, that there was no subsisting court order mandating it to recall the senator before the expiration of her suspension.
Attempts to resume legislative activities at the national assembly on Tuesday by the lawmaker, accompanied by her supporters were hindered by armed security agents at the complex entry points.