A legal analyst, Dayo Fadugba, on Tuesday said the suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan appealed a judgement she lost while attempting to enforce a non-existent order of her recall.
Fadugba said contrary to misleading public narratives, Natasha lost her reliefs before Justice Binta Nyako of the Abuja Federal High Court.
According to Fadugba: “I consider it a duty to draw the attention of the general public to the ongoing legal developments surrounding the judgment delivered by Hon. Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on July 4, 2025, in the case instituted by the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.”
The legal analyst said the Abuja Federal High Court dismissed the following claims Natasha had sought.
He pointed out that the court dismissed the suspended lawmaker’s challenge to the Senate’s decision to invite her to appear before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions;
Natasha had objected to the decision of the Senate to reassign her seat in the Senate chamber.
Justice Nyako also threw out Natasha’s relief seeking to speak from an unauthorised seat on the Senate floor.
The judge had held that the suspended lawyer breached the Senate’s Standing Orders when she attempted to invoke Order 10 (which is an order of privilege), whereas she had violated Order 6(1) and (2) by refusing to speak from her newly assigned seat.
She also lost her claim that the Senate can not discipline her online of her allegations against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
However, Fadugba noted that the court had ruled against Natasha, adding that “most importantly, no positive or mandatory orders were issued by the court for her recall to the Senate”.
In a statement he issued, Fadugba said: “Despite this judicial defeat, Senator Natasha was seen celebrating with her supporters, falsely suggesting that the court had ordered her recall. When the reality of the judgment became clear, she filed a Notice of Appeal against aspects of the decision she found unfavourable, particularly the direct orders of the court that found her guilty of contempt and imposed specific sanctions.”
Fadugba also noted that in response to this self-induced legal confusion, a cross-appeal and an interlocutory application was filed by the Senate.
The lawyer noted that these are aimed at preserving the dignity and independence of the Senate and preventing any disruptive consequences arising from the deliberate mischaracterisation of the court’s decision.
He further added: “It must be emphasised that this cross-appeal is not political. It is a constitutional safeguard, filed to affirm that Justice Nyako’s remarks suggesting a review of Senate Standing Orders or the recall of the Senator were merely advisory opinions (obiter dicta). They were not binding judicial orders, as they did not emanate from any of the reliefs sought by the Plaintiff and cannot, in law, be enforced.
“The public is hereby reminded that the Nigerian Senate remains committed to order, decorum, and the rule of law. It will not be railroaded or destabilised by media stunts or sensationalist narratives.”
