The Senate held the action of Kogi Senator Kogi Natasha who was deferred

The Nigerian senate said that he would not take immediate action on the recovery of the suspended senator Natasha Akpoti-Uuduaghan until he received and reviewed the overall copy of True Copy (CTC) from the recent Federal High Court’s decision that canceled his suspension.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represented the Kogi central Senatorial District, was deferred in March 2025 after a controversial plenary session. However, in the decision submitted on July 4, 2025, Judge Binta Nyako from the Federal High Court stated that the suspension did not have a constitutional foundation and ordered his direct return to the legislative task.

Apart from the court’s decision, the senate stated that procedural steps must be followed before the recovery can be done.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, Chair of the Senate Committee for the media and public affairs, confirmed that while the Senate Legal Team was present in the court during the verdict, all decisions were not read in an open court. As a result, he said, formal requests have been made to get CTC for legal analysis and interpretation.

“Delayed receipt and a true copy of a certified copy, and act on the advice of legal advisors, the senate will refrain from taking any steps that can harm their legal position,” Adaramodu said.

He further noted that because no party was served by the registered decision order, there was no legal law enforcement for the court’s decision that could be continued at this time.

The Senate convinced the public about its commitment to the rule of law and constitutional order, urged citizens to remain patient when the legal process was revealed.

Meanwhile, Senator Akpoti-Uuduaghan has openly stated his intention to continue his legislative task on Tuesday, July 8, 2025.

In a video message shared on social media, which received broad attention on Sunday, the MPs expressed their gratitude to their supporters and described the court’s decision as victory for justice.

“I am grateful for your support. I am glad we won today. We will continue at the Senate on Tuesday by God’s grace,” he said.

While Judge Nyako decided to support him about the suspension, the court also found an insult to the Satir Facebook post addressed to the President of the Senate Godswill Akpabio, who was considered a violation of the temporary order issued on March 4, 2025. The order has forbade all parties from making public or social media comments about the suspension case.

As a result, the court imposed a fine of 5 million on the senator due to humiliation.

The suspension of the senator earlier this year had participated in a dramatic and disorderly senate session marked by a dispute about the seating arrangement. The controversy increased a few days later when Akpoti-Uduaghan accused President Akpabio Senate of sexual harassment in direct television interviews.

Judge Nyako, in his decision, criticized the handling of the senate for the suspension, noted that the action was not only procedural disabled but also seized the people of Kogi Central from their constitutional rights for representatives in the legislature.