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Tag: Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

  • Natasha can’t enforce judgment she appealed – Legal expert

    Natasha can’t enforce judgment she appealed – Legal expert

    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.

  • Natasha vs Akpabio: Rep calls for judicial clarity

    Natasha vs Akpabio: Rep calls for judicial clarity

    A member of the House of Representatives, Rep. Clement Jimbo, (APC- Akwa Ibom) has called for further judicial clarity in the ongoing legal impasse involving leadership of the Senate and suspended Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

    He made the call in a motion on personal explanation raised during plenary on Tuesday at the National Assembly in Abuja.

    Jimbo called for greater clarity and consistency in the delivery of judicial judgments across Nigeria, alleging increasing trend of court judgments being delivered with “ambiguities subject to different interpretations”.

    He argued that court judgments should be simple,  without ambiguity and not open to multiple interpretations, as it  could sow confusion and weaken the rule of law.

    Jimbo, therefore , warned that the judiciary’s credibility was at stake if judgments continued to lack the clarity necessary for enforcement, particularly in politically sensitive cases.

    “As members of parliament with the constitutional mandate to make laws for the good governance, prosperity and security of our nation, it is imperative we draw attention to these perceived inconsistencies from our judiciary.

    “There is also an urgent need to recalibrate the template on which judgments of our courts are written, expressed and delivered, to clearly convey the intentions of our judges,,” 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.

  • Suspension: What I will do next – Senator Natasha

    Suspension: What I will do next – Senator Natasha

    The suspended senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, says she will approach the appellate court for interpretation of the legal impasse between her and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

    Akpoti-Uduaghan made this known while speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday after being refused entrance into the National Assembly Complex by security personnel.

    The suspended senator had on Tuesday defied a heavy security blockade and arrived at the national assembly complex on foot from the MOPOL gate, accompanied by a crowd of supporters.

    The lawmaker, whose suspension by the senate is being contested in court, parked her vehicle outside the national assembly premises and walked through the main MOPOL gate, in company with some activists, including Aisha Yesufu.

    Speaking with newsmen, Akpoti-Uduaghan, who defied the rain, insisted that her suspension was not only unjust but also procedurally flawed.

    “Even the suspension, ab initio, was fraudulent. The document that recommended my suspension wasn’t even attested to by the committee members. It was just a photocopy of an attendance sheet passed off as their signatures.

    “There is no reason whatsoever, contrary to the publications that I read yesterday (Monday), that I should not resume today because the senate has appealed my suspension judgment.

    “That’s wrong. What I appealed is the contempt and that is separate. The judgment came in two parts.

    “One was to address the contempt which is based on the satirical apology letter which I made on Facebook which the judge thought it wise in her own stride that amounts to contempt.

    “But I’m saying clearly that that doesn’t amount to contempt of court because before Justice Binta Nyako was not the matter of sexual harassment; it was the matter of suspension,” she said.

    The senator said that if she decided to go back home, that did not mean that she was not unaware of the fact that the national assembly would go into a two-month recess, beginning from Wednesday.

    “If we decide to turn our backs and go home, we are not ignorant of the fact that the national assembly is most likely going to go into recess tomorrow (Wednesday) for two months.

    “And they will resume pretty much in the last week of September and, like you rightly said, that means I would have pretty much served the six months suspension.

    “I’m saying that because as of now, I’m no longer suspended. And there’s something very important I would like to say, that even the suspension, ab initio, was fraudulent,” she said.

  • BREAKING: Senator Natasha storms NASS to resume representing her people, denied access

    BREAKING: Senator Natasha storms NASS to resume representing her people, denied access

    Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan stormed the National Assembly (NASS) on Tuesday to resume representing the people of Kogi Central Senatorial District, following a court ruling.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Senator Natasha stormed NASS in the company of her supporters but was denied access.

    Natasha, who had earlier vowed to resume legislative activities on Tuesday, arrived at the NASS complex at exactly 12.20 pm.

    Among those who accompanied her were a prominent political activist, Aisha Yesufu and several of her supporters.

    However, the suspended Senator was barred from accessing the main building by security personnel.

    Security had been beefed up at the NASS complex earlier, apparently in response to the threat of resumption by the suspended Senator.

    The armed security personnel at the main gate of the NASS comprised the police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Sergeant-at-Arms.

    The situation resulted in long queues of vehicles at the main entrance to the nation’s parliament, as the security operatives were ensuring thorough checks to ensure that Natasha did not beat the security network and enter the complex

    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.

    Senate’s Spokesperson, Sen. Yemi Adaramodu, had reaffirmed the upper chamber’s position in a statement on Sunday.

    “This clarification becomes necessary, following the circulating claims by the suspended senator that she intends to resume at the Senate Tuesday.

    “This is based on a misinterpretation of the recent judgment delivered by Hon. Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja,” he had said.

  • No court order on Sen. Natasha’s recall – Senate

    No court order on Sen. Natasha’s recall – Senate

    Senate has for the umpteenth time said that there was no subsisting court order mandating it to recall Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan before the expiration of her suspension.

    Sen. Yemi Adaramodu Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

    Adaramodu said the clarification became necessary following circulating claims by the suspended senator that she intends to resume at the Senate on Tuesday.

    He said the suspended senator hinged her resolved to resume based on the misinterpretation of recent judgment delivered by Justice Binta Nyako of Federal High Court, Abuja.

    Adaramodu said Senate had, through his office, issued two public statements following the judgment and the subsequent release of the Certified True Copy of the enrolled order.

    He said Senate in both statements made it unequivocally clear that the judgment did not contain any positive or mandatory order directing the upper chamber to recall Akpoti-Uduaghan prior to the end of her suspension.

    He said the court rather gave a non-binding advisory urging the senate to consider amending its Standing Orders and reviewing the suspension, which it opined might be excessive.

    The chairman of the committee said the court, however, explicitly held that the senate did not breach any law or constitutional provision in imposing the disciplinary measure based on the senator’s misconduct during plenary.

    “Furthermore, the court found Sen Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of contempt of court and imposed penalties, including a fine of N5 million payable to the Federal Government, and a mandatory apology in two national newspapers and on her Facebook page.

    “Till date, these directives remain uncomplied with.

    “It is therefore surprising and legally untenable that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan, while on appeal and having filed a motion for stay against the valid and binding orders made against her, is attempting to act upon an imaginary order of recall that does not exist.

    “Senate emphasizes once more, there is no enforceable order directing her immediate return to the chamber,” Adaramodu said.

    “We advice the distinguished senator to refrain from any attempt to storm the Senate next Tuesday under a false pretext, as doing so would not only be premature but also undermine the dignity of the Senate and violate due process.

    ”The senate, as a law-abiding institution, is committed to upholding the rule of law and the integrity of its proceedings, It will not tolerate the disruption of its proceedings.”

    Adaramodu said Senate would at the appropriate time, consider the advisory opinion of the court on both amending its standing orders, her recall, and communicate same to Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan.

    “Until then, she is respectfully advised to stay away from the Senate chambers and allow due process to run its full course,” he said.

  • BREAKING: Why we cannot reinstate Natasha now – Senate

    BREAKING: Why we cannot reinstate Natasha now – Senate

    The Nigerian Senate has said that it cannot reinstate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan until it considers the contents of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the court judgement in the case involving her and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

    Chairman of Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Sen. Yemi Adaramodu, stated this in an interview on Sunday in Abuja.

    Recall the Senate had, on March 6, suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months amid the sexual harassment allegation she had made against Akpabio.

    The suspension came after a recommendation from the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions, as presented by the Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Neda Imasuen (APC-Edo South).

    As part of the suspension, the senator’s salary and security details were withdrawn, while she was barred from accessing the National Assembly premises.

    She later took the matter to a Federal High Court, Abuja Division, where the presiding judge, Justice Binta Nyako, last week ordered the senate to recall her from suspension.

    The court, however, sanctioned Akpoti-Uduaghan for contempt and ordered her to pay N5 million fine.

    Adaramodu, who is the Senate spokesperson, said that the upper legislative chamber had applied for the CTC, stressing that until the document was received and studied, the senate could not take a position on the matter.

    “The Senate had applied for the CTC since Monday. We expect to get the document, and once we get it, we are going to comply with the content of the court order.

    “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 told NAN in the interview.

    Adaramodu noted with concern that some Nigerians were fanning the Akpoti-Uduaghan matter out of their low level of understanding of the workings of the senate.

    He said that those acting in that direction were merely wishing the National Assembly to be a lawless institution.

    “The senate, by law, is empowered to make its rules that guide it. If we don’t have rules guiding us, we will become like barbarians.

    “If there is no rule on seating, it means early in the morning, I can wake up and say I want to sit where the president of the senate is sitting because he is my colleague, and that will turn the whole place into chaos and pandemonium.

    “It was on the strength of the aforesaid that the court recently averred in the case between Natasha and Akpabio that there are rules and that the senate is constitutional empowered to make rules that will guide its activities.

    “It was for this that we have Standing Orders. And enforcing the orders means that anybody that contravenes it, the aggregated whole chamber of the senate can reprimand such a person,’’ he said.

    He also expressed the regret that even when the court ruling had given vent to that, some people were still saying something else.

    “Possibly, what they were expecting was that anybody can disobey; anybody can break any rule and that the senate must not take any stand,’’ he said.

    According to him, if it is established that the senate can reprimand an offending senator and that it is not in their books how many days or hours such senator being reprimanded can be given, then it is at the discretion of the senate to apportion period for the suspension of a member being reprimanded.

    “Whoever that is not a legislator cannot understand how the legislature works,” he said.

    The senator, representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, explained that the 180 days suspension handed down to Akpoti-Uduaghan included non-parliamentary days.

    “What the senate rules say is that you should observe, adhere to and fulfill the 180 parliamentary days,’’ he said.

  • JUST IN: Senator Natasha stripped of committee leadership role

    JUST IN: Senator Natasha stripped of committee leadership role

    President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio has stripped embattled Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of the chairmanship of the committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).

    TheNewsGuru reports that Akpabio during Senate plenary on Thursday revealed that the position has been given to Senator Aniekan Bassey.

    It’s the second time Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan would be losing her chairmanship position.

    She was earlier in the year removed as the chair of the committee on Local Content and reassigned to Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.

    Akpabio did not state reasons for removing the embattled Kogi central senator, but it was not unconnected to her clash with Akpabio, which earned her a six-month suspension.

    However, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, in late June, ordered the Senate to recall, while the judge also ordered Natasha to tender a public apology.

    Justice Nyako held that the six-month suspension slammed on her by the Senate was excessive. She however fined the suspended senator five million naira for contempt of court.

  • Senator Natasha reveals next action after court’ reinstatement

    Senator Natasha reveals next action after court’ reinstatement

    Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the lawmaker representing Kogi Central,has taken to her social media handle to disclose her intention to resume her legislative duties on Tuesday, following a Federal High Court ruling that nullified her six-month suspension from the Senate.

    TheNewsGuru reports that Akpoti-Uduaghan, who chairs the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, expressed gratitude to her supporters in a viral video shared on social media shortly after the court’s verdict.

    “I thank you for your support. I am glad we are victorious today. We shall resume in the Senate on Tuesday by the grace of God,” she said, beaming as jubilant supporters surrounded her.

    It would be recalled that Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday ruled that the suspension imposed on the lawmaker in March was excessive, unconstitutional, and a violation of her constituents’ rights to representation.

    The judge ordered her immediate reinstatement to the Red Chamber, affirming that legislative bodies must act within the bounds of the Constitution.

    However, the court did not entirely exonerate the senator. Justice Nyako imposed a ₦5 million fine on Akpoti-Uduaghan for contempt, following a controversial Facebook post she made during the course of the litigation.

    The post, which carried a sarcastic apology directed at Senate President Godswill Akpabio, was found to be in breach of a prior court order issued on March 4, 2025, which barred all parties from making public statements or social media commentary about the ongoing case.

    The senator’s suspension stemmed from a chaotic plenary session in March, where she accused Senate President Akpabio of sexual harassment.

  • Senate reacts over court ruling on Senator Natasha

    Senate reacts over court ruling on Senator Natasha

    The Senate on Sunday acknowledged the court judgment on Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, saying, however, that it had yet to receive the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment.

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Sen. Yemi Adaramodu, said this in a statement in Abuja.

    He said that the CTC of the judgment was necessary for a thorough review and informed determination of the next course of action.

    He stated that pending receipt of the CTC, the senate would refrain from taking any step that might prejudice its legal position regarding Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension.

    “The senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria acknowledges that judgment was delivered on July 4th by the Federal High Court, Abuja, in the suit instituted by Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

    “However, the senate is yet to be served with the certified true copy (CTC) of the said judgment.

    “Our legal representatives, who were in attendance at the proceedings, have confirmed that the complete judgment was not read in open court.

    ” Consequently, we have formally applied for the CTC to enable a thorough review and informed determination of the appropriate legal response, particularly in view of the uncertainty surrounding whether the court made any direct order nullifying the suspension of Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan.

    “Since no party to the case has been officially served the enrolled order of the judgement, none can enforce any perceived order or relief.

    “Pending receipt and examination of the CTC, and acting on the advice of counsel, the senate shall refrain from taking any step that may prejudice its legal position,” he said.

    Adaramodu expressed the senate’s commitment to upholding the rule of law, stressing that it would act strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria upon full clarification of the court’s pronouncements.

    While urging the public to remain patient, he assured of senate’s fidelity to due process, as it awaits CTC of the court ruling to determine the next course of action.

  • Reactions trail court judgment on Natasha’s recall

    Reactions trail court judgment on Natasha’s recall

    The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, ordered the Senate to recall Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, back for her legislative duties, describing her six-month suspension as “excessive.”

    Justice Binta Nyako, in a judgment, also awarded a fine of N5 million against the Akpoti-Uduaghan for her “Satirical Apology” message which she posted on her Facebook page on April 27 in disobedience of the valid order of the court.

    Justice Nyako, therefore, ordered Akpoti-Uduaghan to tender an unreserved apology in two national dailies and on her Facebook page within seven days of the order before she can purge herself of the contemptuous act against the court.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the lawmaker had, in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025 and filed on March 3, dragged the clerk of the National Assembly and the Senate; the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio to court.

    Equally joined in the suit seeking court order to stop them from sanctioning her over her alleged misconduct was the Chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Public Petitions and Privileges, Sen. Neda Imasuen.

    Respect court judgment on Natasha’s recall, CSO urges Senate

    Meanwhile, the Executive Director of Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), Faith Nwadishi, has urged the Senate to respect the Federal High Court judgment ordering it to recall the suspended Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP-Kogi).

    Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended by the upper chamber on March 6 over alleged violation of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended).

    However, the court, on Friday, ordered the senate to recall the Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, back to her legislative duties.

    Justice Binta Nyako, in her judgment, described the six-month suspension slammed on the lawmaker by the senate as ‘excessive’.

    Reacting to the judgment, Nwadishi said: “Since it is a court pronouncement, I expect the senate to respect the judgment because there’s nobody who is above the law.

    “The court is there, more like an arbiter; that is, the middle institution, to help to settle issues.

    “So, I’m also happy that the court has taken that decision that they should recall her.

    “In my opinion, I don’t think that this matter should have gone for as long as it went. I just ask that the leadership of the senate should quickly obey that court judgment,” she said.

    Nyako, in the judgment, also awarded a fine of N5 million against Akpoti-Uduaghan.

    The fine, she said, was for Akpoti-Uduaghan’s “satirical apology” message which she posted on her Facebook page on April 27, in disobedience of the valid order of the court.

    The judge, therefore, ordered Akpoti-Uduaghan to tender an unreserved apology in two national dailies and on her Facebook page within seven days of the order before she could purge herself of the contemptuous act against the court.

    Court judgment recalling Akpoti-Uduaghan victory for legislative independence – CUPP

    Similarly, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) described the court judgment ordering the Senate to recall the suspended Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as a victory for legislative independence.

    National Secretary of CUPP, Mr Peter Ameh, made this known while speaking with NAN in Abuja on Friday.

    Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended by the upper chamber on March 6 over alleged violation of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended).

    However, the court, on Friday, ordered the senate to recall the Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, back to her legislative duties.

    Reacting to the judgment, Ameh said that the coalition, “jubilantly welcomes the historic court ruling, mandating the senate to immediately recall the unjustly-suspended Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan.

    “This monumental victory is not merely a personal vindication for Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan but a resounding triumph for legislative independence.

    “It is a beacon of hope forged in unyielding courage and a powerful rebuke of the tactics employed by the senate leadership,” he said.

    According to Ameh, the court pronouncement will serve as an unequivocal end to what he called the senate’s recklessness threatening to erode the foundation of the country.

    “We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan and salute all patriotic Nigerians who boldly spoke out,” he said.