The Nigerian Senate has cautioned suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to jettison her planned resumption of plenary on Tuesday.
The warning was issued on Sunday by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu in a statement issued on Sunday.
NATIONAL POST recalls that Natasha had on Saturday during an event in Kogi, vowed to resume plenary on Tuesday, citing court order that voided her suspension.
However, according to the Senate, there is no court order against the Senate's suspension of the female lawmaker.
It said instead, the court offered an advice, which the Senate will look into in due course and notify the lawmaker of its decision.
Adaramodu emphasised that the Senate remains committed to due process and the rule of law.
He said, “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.”
Adaramodu stressed that the Senate had previously issued two public statements after the court ruling and the release of the Certified True Copy of the Enrolled Order, making it clear that no positive or mandatory directive was issued against the Senate regarding her recall.
“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 said.
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 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 Senate spokesman added.
He warned that any move by the suspended 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 concluded.
This is not the first Natasha has tried to return to the Senate.
She made the same plan last week but suspended it owing to advice from her lawyer.
Her planned return then heightened tension at the Senate, leading to the tightening of security in the National Assembly.
It is left to be seen what happens on Tuesday.