Senate insists Natasha remains suspended

The Senate has justified its decision to prevent Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, from entering the chamber on Tuesday, despite her claims that her six-month suspension had been nullified by a court.

Akpoti-Uduaghan had arrived at the National Assembly to resume legislative duties but was blocked by security operatives who reportedly acted on instructions from senior authorities.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday night, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, criticised Akpoti-Uduaghan, accusing her of turning the incident into a publicity stunt.

“The National Assembly has serious roles to perform. We are lawmakers, not spectators watching skit-making or content creation,” Adaramodu said.
“From the start, I said this entire saga is all about content creation. Now that the content has been created, it is being turned into a seasonal film. We are lawmakers, not actors, and we are not interested in this kind of drama.”

Adaramodu stressed that any court order must be enforced through proper legal channels.

“Even when a litigant secures a judgment, they cannot enforce it themselves. Court bailiffs are responsible for serving and enforcing orders as prescribed by the court,” he explained.
“Nigerians can see that this is just another episode of skit-making from our colleague.”

Akpoti-Uduaghan, however, has maintained that a court ruling invalidated her suspension, granting her the right to return to plenary. The Senate, on its part, has yet to officially acknowledge the court’s judgment or issue a formal statement reinstating her.