From Kenneth Udeh, Abuja
Drama is currently unfolding at the National Assembly complex in Abuja as embattled Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan defied security restrictions and began trekking towards the Senate chambers to resume legislative duties.
Akpoti-Uduaghan is being accompanied by prominent activist Aisha Yesufu and several human rights advocates in a show of solidarity.
The senator, who arrived at the National Assembly at exactly 12:20 p.m. on Tuesday, was initially barred from entering by security operatives stationed at the first gate of the complex.
Undeterred, Senator Natasha disembarked from her convoy and began walking from the first gate, insisting on her constitutional right to resume her duties.
Security has since been heightened around the complex. The second gate leading into the main National Assembly building remains shut, and tension is rising as officers remain on high alert.
Meanwhile, the Senate is currently in session, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio presiding.
Natasha is currently addressing the press and the security operatives.
Today’s dramatic move comes after renowned activist Aisha Yesufu vowed to accompany the senator to the chamber, warning the Senate against continued disobedience of court rulings.
“I think Senator Natasha has every right to resume office, and by tomorrow, she is not going to resume alone,” Yesufu said during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday.
“There are people who are going to go with her, and I’ll be one of them… If the Senate decides they are going to kill us, let them kill us.”
Yesufu further condemned what she called systemic discrimination against women in Nigerian politics, citing that only four out of 109 senators are women.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s insistence on returning follows a July ruling by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, which declared her suspension unconstitutional and called for her reinstatement.
However, the Senate, led by Akpabio, has appealed the judgment, arguing that it interferes with internal legislative procedures.
Speaking from her hometown of Ihima in Kogi State prior to today’s events, Akpoti-Uduaghan reaffirmed her decision:
“I’ve written to the Senate again, telling them that I’m resuming on the 22nd, which is Tuesday, by the special grace of God. I will be there because the court did make a decision on that.”
The senator was suspended on March 6, 2025, over allegations of breaching Senate rules during a controversial session, including claims of improper seat conduct and accusations of sexual misconduct against Senate President Akpabio, allegations he strongly denies.
Despite the Federal High Court’s ruling, the Senate leadership has maintained that she remains suspended, stating there is no binding order requiring immediate reinstatement.
