No Apology, No Return – Senate Insists as Natasha Akpoti Faces Uphill Reinstatement Battle
No Apology, No Return – Senate Insists as Natasha Akpoti Faces Uphill Reinstatement Battle
The Senate has made it clear that suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan won’t be returning to her seat unless she complies fully with a court order directing her to issue a formal apology.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Adeyemi Adaramodu, stated on Monday that the Senate’s disciplinary powers remain intact, despite a recent court ruling questioning the length of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension.
He emphasized that while the Federal High Court acknowledged the Senate’s authority to discipline members, the path to reinstatement now rests solely on the senator’s next move.
Justice Binta Nyako had ruled that the suspension of the Kogi Central lawmaker was excessive and potentially deprived her constituents of representation. However, she also found the senator guilty of contempt over a satirical apology she posted online, ordering her to publish a formal apology in two national newspapers and on Facebook, alongside a ₦5 million fine.
Reacting to the judgment, Senator Adaramodu said, “The court hasn’t stripped us of our powers. They’ve only asked that she apologise. Once she complies, we’ll review it and determine the next step.”
The suspension stemmed from a heated altercation between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio, following her public accusation that she was being victimised for allegedly rejecting Akpabio’s sexual advances—a claim the Senate President has firmly denied.
Speaking to journalists, the Senate’s legal counsel, Paul Dauda (SAN), welcomed the court’s position on the satirical post, noting that the court’s ruling on reinstatement was merely advisory. “There was no specific order lifting the suspension. The judge simply remarked that the punishment may have been harsh. That’s not binding,” he explained.
For now, the ball is firmly in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s court. Without a formal apology, her reinstatement remains on hold.
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