Suspended Kogi Central senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, is taking her legal battle against the Nigerian Senate to a higher level after being barred from entering the National Assembly complex on Tuesday—despite a Federal High Court ruling ordering her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, accompanied by popular activist Aisha Yesufu, was turned away by stern-looking security operatives at the gate. The incident sparked outrage, with the senator accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of violating the Constitution and disrespecting a court ruling.
“The Office of the Senate President doesn’t give me legitimacy. I was elected by the people of Kogi. What happened today is a deliberate act of contempt,” she told reporters.
The activist backing her, Aisha Yesufu, did not hold back. “You block people without saying who sent you. One day, you’ll retire and beg these same people to protest on your behalf,” she said, addressing the officers on ground.
Natasha’s suspension, which stemmed from an alleged incident involving the seating arrangement, had been overturned by Justice Binta Nyako. The court found the Senate’s action unjustified, prompting the senator’s attempt to resume duties. But her access was denied—despite no legal stay on the judgment.
According to Punch Newspaper, her lawyer, SAN West Idahosa, insisted that Akpoti-Uduaghan remains a legally recognized senator. He added, “Her attendance at the National Assembly is a legislative right, and the suspension cannot nullify that.”
The Senate, however, remains defiant. Just two days earlier, its spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu declared that there is no obligation to recall her until the suspension term expires.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, visibly upset, vowed to proceed to the appellate court for interpretation and redress. She emphasized that the blockade not only undermined the rule of law but also posed serious questions about the integrity of Nigerian democracy.
The standoff raises broader concerns about legislative overreach and the protection of civil rights. For now, the senator’s fate hangs in the balance as legal and political battles escalate.
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