Senator Adeyemi Adaramodu, who speaks for the Senate, has made it clear that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan will not be reinstated until she follows a court order to offer a proper apology. This statement came after a Federal High Court ruling on her suspension. Adaramodu pointed out that the Senate still has full authority to discipline its members and the court’s decision did not remove that power.

Natasha was suspended by the Senate in March for six months after a disagreement with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over where she was sitting. The matter worsened when Natasha went on national TV and claimed that Akpabio punished her because she refused his alleged sexual advances. She later filed a formal complaint accusing him of sexual harassment, which he denied.

In response to the suspension, Natasha took the matter to court. Justice Nyako ruled that while the Senate has the right to punish its members, such punishment must not stop a constituency from having representation in the Senate. She also said that Senate rules do not clearly define how long a member can be suspended, which leaves room for misuse.

The court also found Natasha guilty of contempt because she made a sarcastic apology on Facebook on April 27. The judge ordered her to take down that post and publish a genuine apology in two national newspapers and on her Facebook page within seven days. She was also fined ₦5 million by the court.

Senator Adaramodu said the Senate sees no reason to appeal the judgment since the court supported their right to discipline members. He explained that the Senate will not act until Natasha obeys the court’s instructions. Once she makes the required apology, the Senate will then decide what steps to take next.

The Senate’s lawyer, Paul Dauda (SAN), also called the court ruling a partial win for the Senate. He said the judge agreed with their complaint about Natasha’s Facebook post and ordered her to correct it. The ₦5 million fine was also seen as a victory. Dauda clarified that the judge did not order Natasha’s reinstatement, but only commented that her suspension might have been too long. He added that the Senate will study the full judgment before deciding what to do next.

The Senate has now placed the responsibility on Natasha to take action. Until she does what the court directed, no decision will be made about her return.