By Austin Ogwuda
The Nigerian Senate under the leadership of Senator Godswill Akpabio has cautioned the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan representing Kogi Central to shelve her planned move to resume plenary on Tuesday this week as it would amount to “be premature, disruptive and a breach of legislative order”.
Recall that the whole saga started following her accusation of alleged sexual harassment against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, which is still pending in the law court.
Although, she chickened out after the earlier boasting shortly after that judgment that had been subjected to different legal interpretations, but on Saturday, boasted again during an event in Kogi vowing to resume plenary, come Tuesday (tomorrow), citing the same Justice Binta Nyako’s judgment of the Federal High court Abuja as having voided her suspension.
However, in a sharp reaction, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu in a stern statement issued on Sunday warned Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to back down.
According to the statement, “The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria wishes to reaffirm, for the third time, that there is no subsisting court order mandating the Senate to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan before the expiration of her suspension.
“Rather, the Honourable Court 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 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”, he stated.
The Senate further noted that the same court found Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of contempt and imposed penalties, including a N5m fine payable to the Federal Government and a mandatory apology in two national newspapers and on her Facebook page, a directive that has reportedly not been complied with.
“It is therefore surprising and legally untenable”, the statement went on, “that Senator 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”.
The statement warned that any move by the suspended female Lawmaker to “storm the Senate next Tuesday under a false pretext would be premature, disruptive and a breach of legislative order.
“The Senate will, at the appropriate time, consider the advisory opinion of the court on both amending the Standing Orders of the Senate, her recall, and communicate the same thereof to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
“Until then, she is respectfully advised to stay away from the Senate chambers and allow due process to run its full course”, the statement added.
