SAN demands immediate resumption of Senator Natasha, faults unlawful suspension
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, has demanded the immediate resumption of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, faulting what he described as her unlawful continued suspension.
In a statement on Tuesday, Adegboruwa insisted that the Kogi lawmaker had already served the six-month suspension imposed on her by the Senate and should automatically return to legislative duties.
He criticised the position of the Acting Clerk of the Senate, who had written that Akpoti-Uduaghan could not resume until her pending court case was determined, describing it as an “overreach.”
“Failure to allow her to resume is indirectly extending the suspension beyond six months, without a valid resolution of the Senate to that effect. There is no such resolution at the moment. The case pending in court cannot be the reason to extend her suspension, illegally,” he said.
Adegboruwa stressed that the case before the court only concerns the validity and constitutionality of the initial suspension, adding that any appeal would also be limited to that scope. He warned that taking a contrary position would portray the Senate as “vindictive and petty.”
He further noted the trial court’s observation that suspensions should not exceed the usual sitting days of a Senate session, warning that continued refusal to allow Akpoti-Uduaghan to resume would amount to making the suspension indefinite.
According to him, the issue is not just about the lawmaker but also the rights and privileges of her constituency, which has been denied representation for months.
“In essence, the purpose of the suspension having been fulfilled, no useful purpose will be served to deny her from resuming duties as a Senator,” the senior advocate said.
