Senator Natasha Set for Showdown as She Faces Police Blockade at NASS Today

 

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

Firstsitenews-Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is gearing up for a dramatic return to the National Assembly today (Tuesday), despite the Senate’s firm position that her suspension remains active and enforceable.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, was suspended in March 2024. Over the weekend, she announced her intention to resume legislative duties, citing a recent court ruling as legal backing for her return.

“I still have about two months left before the six-month suspension expires. But I’ve written to the Senate again, informing them that I will be resuming on Tuesday, July 22, by God’s grace,” she told reporters during a constituency empowerment programme.

According to her, the court ruling on the matter validated her return, even though Senate leadership has interpreted the judgment differently. “They argue that it’s not a direct order, but a decision is still a decision,” she said.

While her suspension didn’t affect constituency-level projects, the senator lamented that it hampered her legislative duties, including bill sponsorship and motion presentation.

Her lawyer, West Idahosa (SAN), echoed this sentiment, insisting that the judgment implied a return to active duty.

“Legislative attendance is part of her job. The court made it clear that suspending a lawmaker for 180 days is unconstitutional. So, the implication is that she should return,” Idahosa said in a phone interview.

Though he acknowledged that the judgment lacked some clarity, he emphasized that the verdict had effectively ended her suspension.

One of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s aides, Isah Bala, remained cautious about confirming her resumption plans. “I can’t say for sure now because we just returned from a programme in Okene,” he said, adding that more details would be shared later.

Meanwhile, the Senate leadership has doubled down on its earlier stance, insisting that the suspension remains valid and warning against defiance.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Yemi Adaramodu, in a statement on Sunday, said no court order mandates the Senate to reinstate Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan before her suspension runs its course.

According to him, the judgment delivered by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court did not contain a binding order for her recall. Rather, the court merely gave an advisory opinion urging the Senate to reconsider the length of the suspension and to review its Standing Orders.

“The court did not find the Senate in breach of the constitution or any law in the process that led to her suspension,” Adaramodu stated.

He also noted that the same court found Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of contempt over a Facebook post, fining her N5 million and ordering her to publish public apologies in two national newspapers and on social media  conditions the Senate maintains have not yet been fulfilled.

As Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan prepares to enter the chamber today, tension continues to build around what could become a high-stakes constitutional and political standoff at the National Assembly.