The political tension surrounding Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central escalated on Tuesday as she was denied entry into the National Assembly, despite a subsisting court judgment ordering her recall from suspension.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who arrived the premises alongside civil rights activist Aisha Yesufu and a handful of supporters, was stopped at two security checkpoints before being turned away at the main gate to the Senate chambers.
The incident follows a judgment by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, which had faulted the six-month suspension imposed on the senator by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, describing it as unlawful, excessive, and in breach of the senator’s rights. The court had ordered her immediate reinstatement and called on the Senate to respect the rule of law.
However, security officials stationed at the National Assembly gates maintained that they were acting on “superior orders” not to allow her access to the building. A visibly frustrated Akpoti-Uduaghan decried the action as “a clear act of contempt,” vowing to return to court to enforce the ruling.
”This is an abuse of power and a mockery of the judiciary,” she told journalists at the gate. “What kind of democracy do we practice where court rulings are ignored by those sworn to uphold the law?”
Aisha Yesufu, who accompanied the senator, also slammed the development, saying, “This building is not the private property of a few men in agbada. It belongs to Nigerians, and Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has a constitutional right to be here.”
The standoff comes amid speculation that the Senate, under the leadership of Akpabio, has filed an appeal against the court’s decision. However, as of Tuesday, there was no legal stay of execution barring Akpoti-Uduaghan from resuming her legislative duties.
The Senate has remained largely silent on the matter. Attempts to get a comment from the Senate spokesperson proved unsuccessful.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended in March 2025 over comments deemed “unparliamentary” during a plenary session. Her suspension sparked widespread criticism from civil society and legal experts, who described the action as politically motivated and targeted.
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