Natasha vs Senate: Lawyer Explains Why Kogi Senator Can’t Enforce Court Judgement
- On Tuesday, the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was prevented by security operatives from entering the National Assembly and resuming her legislative duties
- Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, was suspended by the Senate earlier this year over alleged misconduct and was directed to issue a written apology
- However, a senior lawyer who observed the National Assembly invasion explained why Senator Natasha cannot enforce a court judgement she appealed amid her legal battle with Senate President Godswill Akpabio
Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.
Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has been accused of seeking to eat her cake and still have it by appealing the July 4 judgment of a Federal High Court in Abuja and still attempting to enforce the same judgment.
Source: Facebook
"Display of lawlessness” - Lawyer slams Natasha
A senior lawyer, Ken Harries, made this observation while reacting to Akpoti-Uduaghan's invasion of the National Assembly on Tuesday, July 22, claiming to want to enforce the judgment of the Federal High Court, which she claimed ordered her recall.
Harries wondered if taking law into one's hands, as shown by Akpoti-Uduaghan's conduct on Tuesday, is the right way to enforce a judgment.
"In my many years in legal practice, I have not seen such a display of lawlessness from a suppose federal lawmaker. How do you invade the National Assembly with a group of touts, claiming to want to enforce a judgment?
"There are procedures for judgment enforcement. It is not for an individual to take the law into his or her own hands, create a crisis atmosphere on the pretext of wanting to enforce a judgment," Harries said.
Source: Twitter
Why Natasha can’t enforce court judgement - Lawyer
The senior lawyer recalled that Akpoti-Uduaghan filed an appeal against the judgment about a week ago, faulting the judgment and praying the Court of Appeal to set it aside.
Harries, who queried the rationale behind Akpoti-Uduaghan's decision to invade the National Assembly on Tuesday, July 22, sought to know what judgment she is seeking to enforce.
He queried:
"How do you enforce a judgment that you have said you are not satisfied with, condemned, appealed and prayed the Court of Appeal to reverse?"
"Assuming the judgment is still enforceable, has she complied with all the orders made against her, including that she pay N5million and publish public apology in two newspapers and her Facebook page?
"If she has failed to obey the same judgment by not complying with the orders made against her, what moral standing does she has to accused the leadership of the Senate of being lawless?
"Her lawyers should be in a better position to advise her to learn to be lawful and respect the rule of law," Harries said.
"Whoever goes to Equity must go with Clean hands, Harries added.
Legit.ng reported that Senator Natasha, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, was suspended by the Senate for six months.
But after a recent court judgment that nullified the suspension, Natasha had vowed to resume legislative duties.
Read more about Natasha here:
- Akpabio: Showdown as Aisha Yesufu vows to join Natasha as she resumes Senate today
- Court grants Natasha bail on fresh charge
"Why we can't reinstate Natasha now," Senate speaks
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Senate on Sunday, July 13, said that it cannot reinstate suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan until it considered the contents of the certified true copy (CTC) of a recent court verdict.
The Senate revealed that it needed to see the CTC of the federal high court's ruling in the case involving Senator Natasha and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
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Source: Legit.ng
