Natasha’s suspension over, any obstruction is abusive, ADC warns Akpabio

The African Democratic Congress has condemned the move to hinder the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s return to legislative duties, describing it as an abuse of power and a direct assault on Nigeria’s democratic principles.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party accused the Senate leadership of disregarding both legal precedent and moral obligation by preventing the Kogi Central Senator from resuming her role after completing a six-month suspension.

Natasha was suspended on March 6, for alleged insubordination, losing salary, aides, and office privileges.

She insists the action was politically motivated after petitioning Senate President Akpabio over alleged sexual harassment, which the Senate dismissed.

Though a court ruled in her favour, Senate leadership maintained she must serve the full six-month suspension.

In July, security barred her from the chamber, sparking protests.

Her lawyer says she plans to resume on September 23, but a September 4 letter from the Acting Clerk reaffirmed the suspension pending an appeal.

In its reaction, the ADC cautioned that the continued obstruction mirrors the APC-led government’s growing intolerance for democracy, aimed at stifling opposition and suppressing dissenting voices.

Abdullahi stated, “The African Democratic Congress observes with deep concern the continued obstruction of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from resuming her seat in the Nigerian Senate after the completion of her six-month suspension. We consider this development not only malicious but also deeply injurious to the spirit of our constitutional democracy, especially the right to dissent.

“It is important to recall that the suspension of Senator Natasha was imposed by the Senate, not by a court of law. And whether one agrees with the basis for that decision or not, the tenure of that disciplinary action has lapsed. Any further attempt to prevent her from resuming is therefore both illegal and morally indefensible.

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“This is not about partisan politics. It is about a dangerous precedent being set within our legislative institutions, one that reduces democratic representation to the whims of a few individuals rather than the will of the electorate. It is about a political culture that appears more invested in punishing dissent than in upholding justice.

“Let it be clearly stated, the people of her constituency elected Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to speak on their behalf. Denying her access to the chamber is, by extension, denying her constituents the right to be heard.”

ADC expressed concern that throughout her suspension, Senator Natasha was stripped of her salary, aides, and office access, stressing that these are essential tools for public service, not mere privileges.

The statement read in part, “To strip an elected senator of these tools is not discipline, it is institutional mugging. Even more disturbing is the posture of the Senate leadership, which has continued to act as though legislative power can be exercised without accountability.

“We challenge the Senate President and his colleagues to explain why a suspension that has run its course should be made indefinite by stealth. Several respected Senior Advocates of Nigeria have rightly observed that Senator Natasha’s suspension, having fully lapsed, can no longer be used as a justification to deny her return.

“A pending legal appeal does not suspend constitutional rights, nor does it grant any official the power to override the mandate of the electorate. To continue barring her from office is, therefore, a violation of the constitution. The Senate, as the nation’s highest lawmaking body, must not be seen to violate the very laws it exists to uphold.

“We also note with concern the Clerk of the National Assembly’s refusal to process her resumption on the grounds that the matter is sub judice. While the Clerk may claim administrative caution, what is being projected is administrative complicity. His role is not to adjudicate but to facilitate. When the administrative machinery becomes hostage to political interests, the institution itself is diminished.”

The ADC highlighted that the Senate’s handling of one of its few female members carries wider consequences for women’s political participation.

It added, “Senator Natasha is one of only four women in a Senate of 109 members. Nigeria’s paltry female representation of 2.7 % is already among the worst records of women’s political participation, even in Africa. Any action that resembles gendered intimidation of the few women in the Senate would only discourage women’s participation and make Nigeria appear even worse in the eyes of the world.

“Nigeria cannot claim to be a democracy while marginalising half of its population from its most critical spaces of decision-making. The soul of democracy lies in its capacity to accommodate dissent, protect the minority voice, and uphold the rule of law, no matter how inconvenient. What is at stake here is not just one Senate seat, but the integrity of our democracy itself.

“The ADC, therefore, stands firmly in defence of democratic principles and women’s political participation. We therefore demand that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan be allowed to resume her duties immediately.”