The refusal of the Senate to allow Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to resume her seat after serving out her six-month suspension has added a new twist to the controversy, drawing sharp condemnation from Canada-based lawyer, Arinze Abiakam Esq., who accused Senator Adeniyi Adegbomerie, of betraying constitutional order.
In a strongly worded letter dated Tuesday, September 9, 2025, Abiakam said Nigerians had looked up to Adegbomerie, SAN, to be a defender of the rule of law in the Red Chambers, but his actions during the suspension saga had fallen far short of expectation.
Abiakam faulted Adegbomerie’s participation in the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions proceedings of March 5, 2025, which he said disregarded a subsisting court order in pursuit of a predetermined outcome. He expressed dismay that the proceedings were presided over by Senator Neda Imaseun, described in the letter as a disbarred lawyer in the United States, yet Adegbomerie’s endorsement gave the report undue legitimacy.
“It is most unfortunate that such proceedings, presided over by a disbarred lawyer, were given legitimacy by your participation and signature. That a disbarred lawyer could railroad a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in this fashion is deeply disheartening,” Abiakam wrote, adding that the incident had eroded the respect he once held for Adegbomerie and cast a shadow on the Aluko & Oyebode brand he represents.
The lawyer further condemned the Senate’s refusal to comply with a court ruling which declared Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension excessive, overreaching, and fully spent. He warned that the Senate’s stance not only undermines judicial authority but also sets a dangerous precedent that strikes at the foundation of democracy.
“Any bad precedent set today to please the transient ambitions of political leaders …will undoubtedly return to haunt you in the future,” Abiakam cautioned.
He said this could affect his Adegbomerie’s political future, noting that while he had once envisioned him rising to higher responsibilities at state or federal level, his recent conduct raised doubts about his capacity for statesmanship and national leadership.
“As a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, your foremost duty is to the law, to justice, and to the constitutional order. Anything less is a betrayal of the privilege and honour of the rank you bear,” Abiakam declared, urging Adegbomerie to realign his actions with the solemn obligations of his office.