The Senate says it cannot act on the court order directing the reinstatement of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan until it receives and considers the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the ruling.
Yemi Adaramodu, chairman of the Senate committee on media and public affairs, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
The Senate had on March 6 suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months over a sexual harassment allegation she made against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The decision followed the recommendation of the Senate committee on ethics, code of conduct and public petitions, presented by its chairman, Neda Imasuen (APC, Edo South).
As part of the suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan was barred from accessing the National Assembly complex, while her salary and security details were withdrawn.
Dissatisfied with the suspension, she approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, where Justice Binta Nyako last week ordered her recall.
While the judge also sanctioned Akpoti-Uduaghan for contempt and imposed a ₦5 million fine on her, she upheld that her suspension violated the law.
Speaking on the development, Adaramodu said the Senate had since Monday applied for the CTC of the ruling and would abide by the content of the document once received and reviewed.
His words: “The Senate had applied for the CTC since Monday. We expect to get the document, and once we get it, we are going to comply with the content of the court order.
“But first, the Senate will sit and consider the contents of the CTC, and when we look at the contents, then we shall take a position.”
He expressed concern over public criticism of the Senate’s handling of the matter, noting that many lacked an understanding of legislative procedure.
“The Senate, by law, is empowered to make its rules that guide it. If we don’t have rules guiding us, we will become like barbarians.
“It was on the strength of this that the court recently averred in the case between Natasha and Akpabio that there are rules and that the Senate is constitutionally empowered to make rules that will guide its activities,” he said.
Adaramodu added that the Senate’s standing orders provide for the reprimand of members who contravene the rules and that such disciplinary actions fall within the chamber’s discretion.
He said the 180-day suspension given to Akpoti-Uduaghan includes non-parliamentary days.
“What the Senate rules say is that you should observe, adhere to, and fulfil the 180 parliamentary days,” he said.
