The Nigerian Senate has refused to allow Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to return to her seat, even though a Federal High Court ruled that her six-month suspension was unconstitutional.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended in March 2025 over alleged misconduct. But in a recent judgment delivered on July 4, 2025, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court described the suspension as “excessive and a violation of her constitutional rights.”
Following the ruling, her legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Michael Numa, wrote a letter dated July 11 to the Clerk of the National Assembly, informing the Senate that she planned to resume work on July 15.
However, the Senate responded in a letter dated July 14, saying that the court judgment did not include any direct instruction for them to recall or reinstate the senator.
The letter, signed by Charles Yoila, Esq., Director of Litigation and Counselling for the National Assembly, stated:
“There is no order made on the 4th day of July, 2025 by Hon. Justice Binta Nyako directing the Senate or its leadership to comply.”
The Senate argued that the ruling only “advised” the Senate to use its power to recall Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and let her return to represent her people — but didn’t mandate it.
Senator Yemi Adaramodu, the official spokesperson of the Senate, also said the Certified True Copy of the court ruling had no clear order requiring the Senate to take immediate action.
“The judgment did not include any express or mandatory order directing the recall or reinstatement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan,” he said.
Despite the court’s support for her rights, the Senate maintains that she cannot resume yet, and must wait for the upper chamber to decide when and how to act.
Meanwhile, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team insists that the court’s decision is binding under Section 318 of the Nigerian Constitution, and they are demanding her immediate reinstatement, saying she was elected by the people and deserves to be back in the Senate.
