Olayiwola Matthew
The Senate has said it cannot reinstate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan until it receives and reviews the Certified True Copy of the court judgment in the case involving her and Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, made this known on Sunday in Abuja.
The Senate had, on March 6, suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months following a disagreement she had with the leadership over a change in her seat.
The suspension followed a recommendation by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions, presented by its chairman, Senator Neda Imasuen (APC – Edo South).
As part of the suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s salary and security details were withdrawn, and she was barred from accessing the National Assembly premises.
She later approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, where Justice Binta Nyako ordered the Senate to recall her from suspension.
However, the court also found her in contempt and imposed a ₦5 million fine.
Adaramodu said the Senate had applied for the CTC of the judgment and would not take any action until the document is received and studied.
“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 said.
The Senate spokesperson criticised the reaction of some Nigerians to the matter, saying it stemmed from a poor understanding of how the legislature operates.
“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 that 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 constitutionally 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 who contravenes it, the aggregated whole chamber of the Senate can reprimand such a person,” he said.
Adaramodu expressed regret that, despite the court’s clarification, some individuals continued to misrepresent the issue.
“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.
He explained that if the Senate is constitutionally empowered to discipline erring members and the Standing Orders do not specify the duration of such sanctions, then it is within the Senate’s discretion to determine the length of suspension.
“Whoever that is not a legislator cannot understand how the legislature works,” he added.
Adaramodu, who represents Ekiti South Senatorial District, clarified that the 180-day suspension imposed on Akpoti-Uduaghan includes non-parliamentary days. “What the Senate rules say is that you should observe, adhere to and fulfil the 180 parliamentary days,” he concluded.