The National Assembly has clarified that the recent Federal High Court ruling in favour of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan did not mandate her immediate reinstatement to the Senate
In a letter dated July 14, addressed to the senator’s lawyer, Michael Numa, the Assembly maintained that no enforceable court order exists compelling the Senate or its leadership to reinstate the suspended Kogi Central lawmaker.
Signed by Charles Yoila, director of litigation and counselling on behalf of the Clerk to the National Assembly, the letter described the judgment delivered by Justice Binta Nyako on July 4 as “advisory in nature.”
“For our summary of the judgment order, there is no order made on the 4th day of July, 2025 by Hon. Justice B.F.N. Nyako for the Senate, President of the Senate or National Assembly to comply with,” it stated.
It added that the declaratory judgment merely encouraged the Senate to consider recalling Akpoti-Uduaghan in the interest of her constituents.
This response comes after Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team wrote to inform the Senate of her intention to resume on Tuesday, warning of potential contempt proceedings if the Senate failed to act.
The National Assembly’s position echoes an earlier comment by Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu, who insisted the court ruling contained no mandatory relief directing reinstatement.
While the court had criticized the suspension, describing it as a violation of constituents’ rights, it stopped short of issuing an enforceable directive.
In a separate part of the judgment, Justice Nyako found Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of civil contempt over a satirical social media post, imposing a ₦5 million fine and ordering her to publish an apology in two national dailies and on Facebook within seven days. She has appealed that portion of the ruling.
Meanwhile, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has filed a cross-appeal seeking to overturn the judgment entirely. His legal team argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to interfere in Senate disciplinary matters and that Akpoti-Uduaghan failed to exhaust internal mechanisms before taking legal action.
The case highlights the delicate balance between judicial interpretation and legislative independence, with both sides now awaiting the Court of Appeal’s decision.
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