The Verdict They Still Don’t Respect: Justice Nyako, Natasha’s Return, and the Arrogance of a Senate in Denial -By John Egbeazien Oshodi

A Legal Judgment, Not a Negotiation

On July 4, 2025, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja did not advise. She ruled. The six-month suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was declared excessive, unconstitutional, and void. The judge ordered the Senate to recall her. That word—recall—was not a suggestion. It was a judicial command.

And yet, the Nigerian Senate now twists a binding court judgment into what it calls an “opinion,” claiming they must first “review her restitution” before deciding on reinstatement. In other words, they’re pretending to hold a veto over the Constitution.

Let this be clear: you do not tell the courts what to do. The rule of law is not subject to Senate ego. When Justice Nyako ruled, she restored not just a woman’s seat, but the people’s right to representation. You obey the court—not the other way around.

No, Senate—You Don’t Get to Stall

Let’s correct the deliberate distortion: Justice Nyako’s ruling had two distinct parts:

On contempt, Natasha was fined ₦5 million for a satirical Facebook post and ordered to publish an apology in two national newspapers and on her page within seven days.

On the suspension, the ruling was final and immediate. It required no seven-day window, no restitution, and no Senate deliberation. It was not an opinion. It was a binding constitutional order.

Senate Spokesman Yemi Adaramodu and Senate counsel Paul Dauda are misleading the public. Their attempt to conflate the contempt ruling with the reinstatement is not only dishonest—it is an affront to the court.

You do not pause a court ruling to process your emotions. You obey. Anything else is contempt of court—again.

They Tried This Before—And Failed

Earlier in the year, Justice Obiora Egwuatu was pressured to step down from this same case. That act of judicial interference was quiet. This new defiance is loud—and it is reckless. But Justice Nyako did not blink. She ruled boldly, decisively, and constitutionally. She reminded the nation what an independent judiciary sounds like.

Now the Senate wants to delay again. But this time, there is nowhere to hide.

You Can’t Stop Her Now—Not Presidency, Not AGF, Not Police, Not Military, Not Big Men, Not Even the President

Enough. No police, no DSS, no military, no attorney general, no Senate big man—and not even the President—can stop Natasha next week. She’s not returning by favor. She’s returning by force of law.

Even Tinubu said it: “Let us begin to obey court orders.” This is your test. Obey it. The laws used to suspend her were illegal. That’s not politics—that’s constitutional fact.

Ignore it, and you’re not just defying Natasha. You’re defying the court, the Constitution, and the soul of the republic.

You don’t need to like her. You need to obey the court.

If You Act Like a Kangaroo Senate—You Disgrace the Nation

Let this be said without apology: if you act like a kangaroo Senate when Natasha walks through that door—if you try to obstruct, harass, or delay her reinstatement—you are not disgracing her. You are disgracing the President, the Judiciary, and the Nigerian Nation.

And yes—you, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and members of the Senate leadership—can be held in contempt of court and subject to arrest for willful disobedience of a federal judgment.

This is not a game. This is not a club where you make your own rules. This is the National Assembly of a constitutional republic. Obey the law—or step aside.

Open the Door. Give Her the Best Seat. And Don’t Pretend She’s Alone

When Natasha steps in—head high, dressed in white—open the door. Give her the best seat. Not because you like her. Because the Constitution demands it.

And remember: she’s not alone. There are 104 men in that chamber and just 4 women. Do you really believe you can bully one of them and the world will look away?

Not this time.

And no—she has not dropped the sexual harassment case. And she must not. She is not just standing for herself. She is standing for every woman who has been silenced in politics, in court, in the workplace, in every room where men think silence is compliance.

The Judiciary Has Spoken. The Senate Must Obey

To Senate President Akpabio: this is not about your pride. This is about Nigeria’s soul. Stand up and obey. When she returns, welcome her—not for her, but for the law you swore to uphold.

To Chief Justice Kekere-Ekun and Attorney General Fagbemi: this is your moment to prove that the judiciary cannot be mocked. Say something. Do something. If you remain silent while a woman is legally reinstated and politically punished again, then you are complicit.

Conclusion: The Judge Stood. Now the Nation Must.

Justice Binta Nyako did not just interpret the law—she honored it. She stood when it was easier to kneel. She whispered justice, and the whole country heard it.

Now, the Senate must obey. Or risk destroying the last thread of credibility it has left.

Let Natasha walk in. Let her sit. Let the Constitution breathe. And let every woman watching know—Nigeria can still rise.

This writer, a psychologist, has no personal connection to any of the individuals mentioned. This commentary is written solely in pursuit of democratic accountability, justice, and good governance.

Psychologist John Egbeazien Oshodi

Professor John Egbeazien Oshodi is an American-based psychologist, educator, and author specializing in forensic, legal, and clinical psychology, cross-cultural psychology, and police and prison science. Born in Uromi, Edo State, Nigeria, and the son of a 37-year veteran of the Nigeria Police Force, his early exposure to law enforcement shaped his lifelong dedication to justice and institutional transformation.

He introduced forensic psychology to Nigeria in 2011 through the National Universities Commission and Nasarawa State University, where he served as Associate Professor of Psychology. He has taught at Florida Memorial University, Florida International University, Broward College as Assistant Professor and Interim Associate Dean, Nova Southeastern University, and Lynn University. He currently teaches at Walden University and serves as a virtual professor with Weldios University and ISCOM University.

In the United States, he works as a government consultant in forensic-clinical psychology and leads initiatives through the Oshodi Foundation, the Center for Psychological and Forensic Services. He is also the founder of Psychoafricalysis, a model that integrates African sociocultural realities into modern psychology.

A proud Black Republican, Professor Oshodi believes strongly in individual rights, personal responsibility, and community-based justice. He advocates for ethical leadership, institutional accountability, and sustainable development across African and diasporic communities.