Senator Natasha’s Legal Counsel Write NASS Clerk, Threatens Legal Action Against Him

The Clerk of the National Assembly has been asked to immediately facilitate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s resumption to her legislative duties by 15th September 2025, failure of which will result in a legal action against him and his office

Legal Counsel to the embattled senator, Michael Jonathan Numan SAN, who gave this directive in reply to the clerk’s letter dated 4th September 2025, described the sub judice excuse given by the clerk for Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s ineligibility to resume as untenable, ill-advised, and a deliberately contrived action to deprive the Senator of a constitutional mandate freely given to her by the people of Kogi Central Senatorial District. 

Barrister Numa restated that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s right to resume her parliamentary duties after the expiration of her fix-term suspension is rooted in the 1999 constitution and cannot be abridged by administrative fiat or internal senate manoeuvrings

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria reminded the clerk of constitutional provisions in sections 68 and 69 of the 1999 constitutional as amended, which circumscribe the limited circumstances under which a senator’s seat may be declared vacant, pointing out that nowhere does the document empower the clerk or senate to unilaterally extinguish the sovereignty of the electorate.

The letter cited several judgements delivered in favour of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan by courts of competent jurisdiction against the senate where the sub judice rule was flouted, and wondered why the same institution is now relying on the same premise to deny their client her right to resume her legislative duties, describing the latest excuse given by the National Assembly through the clerk as amounting to an invocation of the rule to suit the shifting narrative of the senate leadership.

The letter warned that failure of the clerk to facilitate their client’s resumption will amount to legal proceedings against him, which will include committal for contempt, disciplinary action for breach of code of conduct for public officers, liability for instigating breach of the peace with potential implications for National Security, and any other remedies that is available to the senator under the law