The Nigerian Senate has announced it will wait for the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Abuja Federal High Court’s ruling before acting on the order to reinstate Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
This decision comes amidst mixed reactions to the court’s judgment, which voided her suspension and called for her immediate return.
Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has already declared her intention to resume legislative duties on Tuesday, following the court’s decision.
In a statement released on Sunday, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, noted that while the Senate’s legal team was present in court, the full judgment was not read during the open session.
He said a formal application had been filed to obtain the certified true copy for proper legal interpretation.
“Pending receipt and examination of the CTC, and acting on the advice of counsel, the Senate shall refrain from taking any steps that may prejudice its legal position,” Adaramodu said.
He further stressed that, as no party in the suit had yet been served the enrolled order of the judgment, no enforcement could lawfully proceed.
The Senate reassured Nigerians of its commitment to the rule of law and constitutional governance, urging the public to remain calm and patient as the legal process unfolds.
Meanwhile, the suspended senator said she would resume legislative duties on Tuesday, July 8.
The lawmaker disclosed this in a video shared on social media, which started trending on Sunday.
She thanked her supporters for standing with her.
“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.
Persecondnews had reported that Justice Binta Nyako, in a judgment on Friday, ruled that the suspension lacked constitutional backing and ordered the immediate reinstatement of Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The court, however, also found the senator guilty of contempt for a Facebook post described as a satirical apology addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The post, the court held, violated an interim injunction issued on March 4, 2025, barring parties from making public or social media comments on the ongoing suit challenging her suspension.
Nyako imposed a N5 million fine on the senator for the post, which was deemed to have breached the court’s order.
Persecondnews recalls that Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended by the Senate in March after a controversial plenary session that turned rowdy over disagreements about seating arrangements in the chamber.
Days later, the controversy deepened when she accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment during a live television interview.
In her ruling, Justice Nyako said the extended suspension of the senator was not only procedurally flawed but also deprived the people of Kogi Central of their constitutional right to representation.
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