Why the Senate Must Obey the Court and Recall Senator Natasha

By Chionye Hencs Odiaka 

In a landmark ruling that has reignited national debate over the limits of legislative power, judicial authority, and the rights of elected officials, an Abuja High Court has ordered the Nigerian Senate to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. 

The court also fined her ₦5 million for violating a gag order by posting a satirical apology on Facebook. While opinions are sharply divided, the ruling leaves no ambiguity: the Senate is now under legal and moral obligation to respect the court’s decision and reinstate Senator Natasha without delay.

No institution in a constitutional democracy is above the law, not even the Senate. The Nigerian judiciary, acting within its jurisdiction, has ruled that the suspension of Senator Natasha was unlawful. 

The Senate may disagree with the court’s reasoning or her actions, but it cannot choose which judicial orders to obey. Democracy thrives only when institutions act within the boundaries of the law and are held accountable when they cross it.

A failure to recall Natasha would set a dangerous precedent, one where legislative bodies can defy court orders with impunity. That path leads away from democracy and toward institutional chaos.

While some may criticize Senator Natasha’s satirical Facebook post as a defiance of the court’s initial gag order, it is important to separate contempt from substance. 

Yes, she has been fined ₦5 million for that violation, and she must pay the penalty. But the court’s judgment also affirms her right to resume her role as a duly elected senator representing the people of Kogi Central.

Her constituents did not elect a perfect politician, they elected a human being with a voice, a conscience, and a responsibility to speak on behalf of her people. 

Silencing her indefinitely over a Facebook post, especially after a judicial penalty has already been applied, amounts to political overreach.

In recent years, the Nigerian Senate has increasingly assumed quasi-judicial roles, suspending members over disagreements that often appear personal or partisan rather than constitutional. This undermines the chamber’s credibility and distracts from the serious legislative duties it is meant to perform.

Recalling Natasha is not an endorsement of everything she has said or done. It is a statement that no senator should be removed from office without due process. It is a recognition that the people, not the Senate, own the mandate given through the ballot box.

The continued suspension of Senator Natasha in defiance of the court order will not only be a slap in the face of her constituents but also an erosion of democratic accountability. 

If the Senate wishes to discipline one of its members, it must do so through a transparent process that respects legal boundaries and allows for independent adjudication.

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The court has spoken. Natasha has been penalized. Now, it is the Senate’s turn to obey the law and do what is right, not just legally, but democratically.

The recall of Senator Natasha is not about her personality, party, or politics, it is about the soul of our democracy. The Senate must act swiftly to comply with the Abuja court’s ruling. 

Anything less would signal to Nigerians and the international community that the country’s lawmakers are willing to place themselves above the very Constitution they swore to uphold.

The eyes of the nation are watching. The rule of law must prevail. Therefore, recall Natasha now.

Chionye Hencs Odiaka is a Nigerian humanitarian, emergency management expert, political commentator, and advocate for visionary leadership and youth participation in governance.