Tight security measures have been deployed at the National Assembly in Abuja to prevent suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from resuming legislative duties on July 22, 2025, following her insistence on returning to the Senate based on a Federal High Court ruling. The Kogi Central senator, suspended in March 2025 for alleged misconduct, including a seating dispute and sexual harassment allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, cited a July 4 court decision by Justice Binta Nyako declaring her six-month suspension unconstitutional and ordering her reinstatement. However, the Senate, through spokesperson Senator Yemi Adaramodu, maintains that the ruling was merely advisory, not a mandatory recall, and has warned Akpoti-Uduaghan against disrupting proceedings, prompting heightened security to enforce her exclusion.
The controversy stems from Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension, which followed a heated Senate session where she protested a seat reassignment, later escalating into accusations against Akpabio, which he denies. The court ruled the suspension excessive, noting it violated her constituents’ right to representation, but also fined her ₦5 million for contempt over a social media post and ordered apologies in two national dailies and on her Facebook page, directives she has not fulfilled. “I have written to the Senate again telling them that I’m resuming on the 22nd, by the special grace of God,” Akpoti-Uduaghan said at a constituency event. Senate President Akpabio’s appeal of the court’s decision at the Court of Appeal further complicates her return, with the Senate insisting she must wait until her suspension expires or due process concludes.
Heavy security presence was confirmed at the National Assembly, with some noting the Inspector-General of Police’s refusal to restore Akpoti-Uduaghan’s security detail ahead of her planned resumption. Aisha Yesufu, a prominent activist, has vowed to accompany the senator, calling the suspension discriminatory and unconstitutional.
