Lawyer Ibrahim Wali has declared the suspension of Senator Natasha Uduaghan from the National Assembly unconstitutional, insisting she should immediately resume her duties.
“Immediately an action overreaches the constitution, it becomes void from the outset. She should have resumed,” Wali said during an interview on ARISE NEWS on Thursday, stressing that the Senate’s decision has no legal basis.
He blamed the Senate clerk for the ongoing impasse, accusing him of exceeding his authority. “By my understanding, it is the communication of the clerk that is creating this impasse. He has trespassed the subjudice threshold. She ought to just resume,” Wali argued.
The lawyer further raised concerns that constituents of Kogi Central have been left without representation, calling it a violation of their democratic rights.
Explaining the Senate clerk’s role, Wali noted that the amended standing orders of 2023 limit the clerk’s powers to record-keeping and communication. He described the clerk’s letter on the matter as “legally defective” and incomplete, adding that the clerk is also a party to the case.
Wali also dismissed claims that appeals filed by Uduaghan could delay her return, clarifying that the pending appeals concern contempt proceedings and preliminary objections—not her suspension or right to resume.
