The Nigerian Senate has clarified that there is no legal basis for the immediate recall of suspended lawmaker, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, following interpretations of a recent court judgment.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, said the judgment delivered by Justice Binta Nyako on July 4, 2025, did not contain any explicit order mandating her reinstatement.
The clarification followed a letter from the law firm of Numa S.A.N. & Co., representing Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, which claimed the court ruling constituted a binding directive requiring her recall by Tuesday, July 15.
However, the Senate said the Certified True Copy of the Enrolled Order showed that the court’s remarks were advisory and did not override the Senate’s constitutional authority to discipline its members, as provided under Section 60 of the 1999 Constitution.
“For the avoidance of doubt, nowhere in the judgment did the Court issue a declaratory or injunctive order mandating her recall,” the statement read.
While acknowledging the court’s observations, the Senate maintained that they did not amount to enforceable legal instructions or override its internal disciplinary procedures.
It added that the Senate would study the judgment, deliberate internally, and communicate its constitutionally grounded position in due course.
Reaffirming its commitment to constitutional democracy and judicial independence, the Senate warned against premature interpretations of the ruling or misapplication of constitutional provisions.
It concluded by stating that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan remains under suspension, and there is currently no legal ground for her to resume legislative duties.
