Senate Reacts to Court Judgment on Natasha's Suspension

• The Senate has said it has yet to receive the CTC of the judgment that reportedly ordered the recall of the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan
• Senator Yemi Adaramodu, the spokesperson of the Senate, said that the CTC would allow the Red Chamber to ascertain the controversies surrounding the judgment
• Recall that the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday, July 4, faulted the suspension of Natasha and ordered her immediate recall

The Senate has reacted to the ruling of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday, July 5, in the suit filed by the suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, adding that the Red Chamber was yet to be served with the judgment's Certified True Copy (CTC).

Recall that earlier in March, the Senate suspended the Kogi senator for six months over her misconduct and failure to comply with the chamber's standing rules on sitting arrangement during plenary on February 20.

Natasha challenges her suspension in court

But Senator Natasha approached the court for redress. On Friday, the court ruled that the embattled Senator should be immediately recalled, adding that the Senate acted in excess with the six-month suspension, Daily Trust reported.

Justice Binta Nyako of the court, in a judgment on Friday, July 4, said that the six-month suspension that the Senate slammed on the Kogi lawmaker was "excessive".

The court also faulted the Senate Standing Rules' Chapter 8 and Section 14 of the Legislative Houses, Powers and Privileges Act, stating that the two provisions were overreaching. The two legislative guidelines did not specify the maximum period of time that a sitting lawmaker can be suspended from office.

Why did court ordered Natasha's recall

According to the judgment, the lawmakers only have a total of 181 days to hold their sitting in their legislative circle. Thus, the six months' suspension handed to Senator Natasha was equivalent to denying her the chances of carrying out her responsibilities to her constituents within the legislative circle.

Reacting to the court ruling, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, in a statement on Sunday, July 6, said the chamber had yet to be served with the ruling's CTC. He said the legal team of the Senate that was in attendance during the ruling confirmed the judgment but said it was not read openly in the court.

He said they have applied for the CTC so that they can review it and disclosed that a proper legal response would be issued afterwards, particularly about the uncertainty surrounding the judgment. He said this was to ascertain if the court outrightly nullified the suspension or not.

Ex-minister accuses FG of planning to jail Natasha

Legit.ng earlier reported that Kogi Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan's legal tussle initiated by the federal government has commenced hearing at the Federal High Court.

Oby Ezekwesili, the former Minister of Education, who witnessed the hearing on Thursday, June 19, said that the federal government asked the court to send the senator to prison.

However, the former minister disclosed that the court declined the prayer of the federal government lawyers and granted bail to Senator Natasha.

Source: Legit.ng