By Ibrahim Habu Suleiman

The crisis that engulfed the upper chamber of the National Assembly since March this year appears to be coming to an end. A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, the federal capital, presided by Justice Binta Nyako has directed the Senate to immediately recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central. The senator was suspended for 6 months from the Red Chamber in March 2025 over disagreement on allocation of seats that led to a rowdy session.

The court ruling has triggered a litany of mixed reactions. Many see it as a victory for the senator even as female senators are currently only four in number in a country with over two hundred million people. The fact that she squeezed out this judgement in her favour shows the level of her commitment for justice in the face of adversity. Former vice president and leading opposition politician, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in his reaction after the court order praised the senator for her bravery and commitment in her quest for justice.

However others dismissed the court ruling as a sham, geared towards institutionalizing disrespect and indiscipline in the country’s top institutions. A women’s group, Coalition of Concerned Women for Legislative Integrity, CCWLI, faulted the court’s decision, saying if allowed to endure would encourage indiscipline not only in the National Assembly but also in other top level institutions, thereby eroding the integrity of the entire system. The national president of the group, Barrister Nana Binta Abdullahi welcomed the ₦5million fine imposed on the senator for breaching an interim injunction barring both parties from making public and/or social media comments on the suit challenging her suspension. She maintained that the fine would go a long way towards instilling better traits of conduct in such circumstances.
On the other hand, the Senate seemed not in a hurry to be heard immediately after the court ruling quashing the six months’ suspension for being “excessive, unconstitutional and a violation of her constituents’ rights to representation”. The Red Chamber’s spokesperson was left to offer his professional assessment, saying that they will wait for the judgement to be officially served them with the judge’s signature and seal, before taking the next step. However, on the issue of the court’s earlier order barring both parties from public comments or posts in social media while the matter was before the court, the Senate also claims victory following the imposition of ₦5m fine on the senator for breaching the order.

Furthermore, the federal high court’s decision to impose fine on the senator also included an order to write an apology to be published in two national dailies and her Facebook page within seven days which must be done along with the payment of the ₦5million fine. The legal team of the senator had argued that their client was only commenting on a different case of sexual harassment involving her and the Senate president. But the judge had gone ahead to impose the ₦5 million fine and her apology in two national dailies. The Senate was later quoted as saying that all these procedures must be complied with before it can consider the senator’s return.
Nevertheless, while addressing some of her supporters, Natasha had indicated her resolve to resume duty as soon as possible. But she has been compelled to extend the time of resumption presumably in order to the court’s order on her.

At any rate, there is no doubt that the senator has already crossed the Rubicon. She had earlier accused the Senate president of sexual harassment for which she subsequently sued the Senate president; and she had also accused the senate president alongside the immediate past governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, of conspiring to assassinate her.

But while the senator had also reported this assassination plot to the security agencies and had threatened to go to court, it was Federal Government that sued her to court for “defamation of character”. In contrast the FG’s case with Senate president Akpabio and Yahaya Bello as witnesses was treated with the “speed of light” where senator Natasha remained the sole defendant.

There were calls by some elements for the Senate to appeal the case up to the Supreme Court as the final arbiter, admonishing the Senate not to accept the ruling of the federal high court as final. But from the content of the verdict delivered by the Abuja court it is highly unlikely there can be any justifiable change, because the eyes, ears of the whole country is on this case and the people of Logic Central have been punished enough alongside their committed representative.

In fact, the senator had reportedly written to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun, petitioning over the relative inaction of the Nigeria police regarding her earlier petitions. In the petitions she had alleged threats to her personal security, unlawful withdrawal of police security details and her immediate safety concerns, as well as conspiracy to assassinate the senator. Yet, surprisingly, the Federal Government went ahead to file a suit against her for alleged defamation of the characters? of people like the immediate past governor of Kogi state and the Senate president.
Both of them unfortunately are persons with questionable characters indeed! While the latter is perhaps supposed to be still on trial or verily in jail for an ₦80.2billion fraud and criminal breach of trust, the former was only rigged to victory to the Red Chamber, as the the returning officer at the time, who must have allegedly taken monies or the like from the beneficiary of his crime, a certain professor Ogban was convicted and although supposed to be also still in jail is reportedly enjoying his freedom.

It is indeed unfortunate that the leadership in Nigeria is still not prepared to lead the people as true servants but only mainly as exploiters of the vulnerable majority. This tendency has strengthened the all conquering corruption in the country, which the present federal government doesn’t seem to have time to tackle head on. There is a growing number of persons of very questionable characters occupying positions of authority across the country. As a result, with both the executive and the judiciary in such a rotten state, the legislature only complements the rot in the system.
In this light, the struggles of Senator Natasha to dare the system for her rights and by implication the rights of constituents is highly commendable.

This is a rare display of courage from a lady who has chosen to be different; determined to prove a point – no matter the consequences – where many have fallen or chosen to join the bandwagon. Thus, having already crossed the Rubicon, the senator has no more choice but to continue to the logical end.