The Nigerian Senate came under heavy fire on Tuesday as Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central openly condemned the current leadership under Senate President Godswill Akpabio, describing it as the worst in the history of Nigeria’s democracy.
Senator Natasha said this as she was denied entry into the National Assembly complex by security personnel despite her claims of formally notifying the Senate of her intention to resume legislative duties.
Speaking to reporters outside the gates of the National Assembly, the embattled senator accused Senate President Akpabio of weaponizing the institution by unlawfully challenging a Federal High Court judgment that ordered her resumption. She lamented that her rights as an elected lawmaker were being trampled under political vendettas.
“It’s a shame that on the very day I was supposed to resume my duties, I was met by heavily armed police officers blocking me from accessing my office. This is not just an affront to me but an assault on democracy and the rule of law,” Natasha stated.
Read also:
- Senate replaces suspended Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as diaspora committee chairman, appoints Aniekan Bassey
- You can’t resume, Senate responds to Sen. Natasha
- Sen. Natasha’s visit to my palace has no political undertone, says monarch
She further emphasized that while Akpabio has personally appealed the court’s ruling, the Nigerian Senate as an institution has not taken such legal action, making the obstruction of her access unconstitutional.
“Let it be known that Akpabio is not above the law. His appeal does not invalidate the ruling of Justice Binta Nyako, which mandates my resumption. My mandate comes from the people of Kogi Central, not from the office of the Senate President,” she declared.
Natasha did not mince words as she slammed the 10th Assembly for what she described as a collapse of legislative integrity under Akpabio’s watch. “We’ve had Senate Presidents with capacity and national interest at heart. Sadly, the Akpabio-led Senate is a disgrace and has become the worst assembly Nigeria has ever seen,” she said.
