Our Reporter, Abuja
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, was on Monday denied access to the National Assembly complex in Abuja, following her earlier notice of resumption or legislative duties on Tuesday.
In a viral video on X, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan expressed deep disappointment over the incident, saying she was prevented from resuming her legislative duties despite being duly elected and sworn in.
She also decried the presence of heavily armed security personnel who, according to her, charged at her as she attempted to enter the Senate chambers.
“I was approached and aggressively confronted by armed policemen—me, an unarmed female senator—just for trying to access my office and do my job,” she said in the video, questioning what she described as a troubling abuse of power and excessive use of force.
The lawmaker’s attempted return to the red chamber draws from the judgment of the Abuja high court presided over by Justice Binta Nyako who ruled in part that the senate should consider recalling Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan from suspension.
However, the Senator Godswill Akpabio-led senate has continued to insist that the Justice Nyako judgment was simply a recommendation lacking in any declatory power, which the senate is at a discretion to obey or not.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has continued to insist that her suspension was linked to allegations she made concerning sexual harassment involving the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. However, Senate Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, later clarified that Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended due to “persistent acts of misconduct,” which included what he described as disruptive behavior and refusal to comply with established Senate procedures.
Despite this clarification, Akpoti-Uduaghan and her supporters have continued to view the suspension as politically motivated and discriminatory, particularly given the optics of her being one of the few female voices in the upper legislative chamber.
As of press time, there has been no official statement from the office of the Senate President regarding Tuesday’s incident. However, the situation is expected to fuel further debate about the conduct of legislative affairs and the balance of power within the National Assembly.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has vowed not to be silenced and insists on her right to represent the people of Kogi Central without intimidation or obstruction.
