Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing the Kogi Central Senatorial District at the National Assembly, announced on Tuesday her intention to consult with her legal team and appeal to a higher court.
This decision came after she was denied entry to the National Assembly, despite a valid court order that mandated her reinstatement.
Earlier this year, the Senator had been suspended for six months by the Senate.
However, a ruling by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court nullified her suspension, leading Akpoti-Uduaghan to declare her intent to resume her legislative responsibilities.
Upon her arrival at the National Assembly complex on Tuesday, security personnel prevented her from entering.
Speaking to journalists following the incident, Akpoti-Uduaghan condemned the Senate’s actions, calling it an act of contempt of court by the Senate under President Godswill Akpabio.
“Akpabio cannot be greater than the Nigerian Constitution. I want Nigerians to know that the Office of the Senate President doesn’t give me legitimacy as a senator.
“The fact that he has done an appeal does not invalidate the decision of Justice Binta Nyako, and that does not stop me from being a senator. I got my legitimacy as a senator from the people of Kogi who voted me into office as senator.
“That I’ve been denied entrance to the National Assembly is a statement being made. It’s on record that the National Assembly under Akpabio has decided to be in contempt of a court decision, and it’s quite ironic that they are lawmakers. That poses the question: how far is our democracy in this day and age?,” she said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan also questioned the basis of her initial suspension, stating, “Even the suspension ab initio was fraudulent—the document was faulty.”
On her next line of action, she said, “Going forward, 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.”
As of the time of filing this report, the Senate leadership had not issued any statement on the court ruling or Tuesday’s development.
