News Investigators/ Executive Director of Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), Faith Nwadishi, has urged the Senate to respect the Federal High Court judgment ordering it to recall the suspended Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP-Kogi).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended by the upper chamber on March 6 over alleged violation of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended).
However, the court, on Friday, ordered the senate to recall the Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, back to her legislative duties.
Justice Binta Nyako, in her judgment, described the six-month suspension slammed on the lawmaker by the senate as ‘excessive’.
Reacting to the judgment, Mrs Nwadishi said: “Since it is a court pronouncement, I expect the senate to respect the judgment because there’s nobody who is above the law.
“The court is there, more like an arbiter; that is, the middle institution, to help to settle issues.
“So, I’m also happy that the court has taken that decision that they should recall her.
“In my opinion, I don’t think that this matter should have gone for as long as it went. I just ask that the leadership of the senate should quickly obey that court judgment,” she said.
NAN reports that Nyako, in the judgment, also awarded a fine of N5 million against Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The fine, she said, was for Akpoti-Uduaghan’s “satirical apology” message which she posted on her Facebook page on April 27, in disobedience of the valid order of the court.
The judge, therefore, ordered Akpoti-Uduaghan to tender an unreserved apology in two national dailies and on her Facebook page within seven days of the order before she could purge herself of the contemptuous act against the court.
NAN
