Abuja — Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was on Tuesday prevented from accessing the National Assembly complex, despite a court order quashing her suspension from the Senate.
The embattled senator, who represents Kogi Central, had earlier secured a ruling from Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which nullified the six-month suspension imposed on her by the Senate. However, security operatives at the entrance of the National Assembly reportedly denied her entry.
Speaking to journalists after the incident, a visibly upset Akpoti-Uduaghan accused the Senate leadership, under President Godswill Akpabio, of flouting a valid court order.
“Akpabio cannot be greater than the Nigerian Constitution,” she said. “The Office of the Senate President does not confer legitimacy on me. My legitimacy comes from the people of Kogi who elected me.”
She added that the court ruling remained binding, regardless of any appeal that may have been filed. “The fact that he has done an appeal does not invalidate the decision of Justice Binta Nyako. That does not stop me from being a senator.”
Describing the Senate’s action as contempt of court, Akpoti-Uduaghan said, “It’s quite ironic that those who make the laws are now the ones breaking them. This raises serious concerns about the state of our democracy.”
She also dismissed the grounds of her suspension, calling it fraudulent and claiming the document used to effect it was defective.
On her next steps, the senator said she would consult with her legal team and explore further legal action at the appellate court.
“I will have a meeting with my legal team so they proceed to the appellate court to seek interpretation into what just happened. I’m a law-abiding citizen,” she said.
As of press time, the Senate leadership had yet to comment on either the court ruling or the events that played out at the National Assembly gate.
