On Tuesday, July 22, 2025, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform, was denied entry to the National Assembly complex in Abuja by security operatives, including police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and Department of State Services (DSS), despite a Federal High Court ruling by Justice Binta Murtala Nyako declaring her six-month suspension excessive and unconstitutional. The suspension, imposed on March 6, 2025, stemmed from her refusal to accept a seat reassignment by Senate President Godswill Akpabio and allegations of sexual harassment against him, which he denied. The Senate Ethics Committee, chaired by Senator Neda Imasuen, recommended the suspension for alleged misconduct, withdrawing her salary, security details, and access to the complex.
Arriving at 12:20 p.m. in a convoy with activists like Ms. Aisha Yesufu, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was stopped at the main gate and, after walking one kilometer to a second entrance, faced another blockade at the Mopol gate. Her supporters, chanting “Push!” attempted to force entry, escalating tensions. Speaking to journalists, the senator condemned the Senate’s defiance of the court’s ruling, which she argued was binding under Sections 287 and 318 of the 1999 Constitution, and accused Akpabio of pursuing a personal vendetta. She clarified that Akpabio, not the Senate, appealed the judgment, and vowed to seek appellate court clarification. Yesufu criticized the security clampdown, calling the National Assembly a public institution and questioning the police’s role in barring a serving senator.
The Senate, through spokesman Senator Yemi Adaramodu, maintained that the court’s ruling was a non-binding advisory, not a mandatory recall order, and noted Akpoti-Uduaghan’s failure to comply with court directives, including a ₦5 million fine and a public apology for contempt. Senior lawyer Mr. Ken Harries argued that her attempt to resume duties constituted self-help, given her appeal against the contempt ruling and non-compliance with court orders. The standoff, which stranded staff and visitors, highlighted a broader conflict between Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Senate leadership, with civil society groups condemning the Senate’s actions as a violation of the rule of law. As the National Assembly was set to begin a two-month recess on July 23, Akpoti-Uduaghan vowed to pursue legal redress to enforce her reinstatement.
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