ABUJA—The legal team of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) has issued a stern warning to the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Mr. KaKamorudeen Ogunlana, demanding her immediate recall to legislative duties. In a letter signed by her counsel, Michael Numa, SAN, the CNA was given until Monday, September 15, to comply or risk contempt proceedings and other legal actions.
The lawyer emphasized that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s constitutional right to resume parliamentary duties after the expiration of her fixed-term suspension cannot be denied. He warned that continued refusal would amount to a breach of court orders and the Constitution, with implications for national security and governance.
The call for her reinstatement has also gained political momentum. Abduljabbar Rufai, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Kano, urged the party leadership, particularly its National Assembly caucus, to defend the senator beyond mere statements. He described the denial of her legislative access as an injustice that threatens democratic integrity.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has equally condemned the Senate, led by Senator Godswill Akpabio, accusing it of dragging the country into “legislative dictatorship and democratic anarchy.” NLC President, Joe Ajaero, described the continued barring of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan as persecution that violates constitutional principles, disregards judicial rulings, and disenfranchises the people of Kogi Central.
Ajaero further warned that invoking sub judice as justification for withholding reinstatement after the expiration of her suspension is a cynical ploy to silence dissent and manipulate the judiciary. According to him, the Senate’s actions amount to “a gross abuse of power” that undermines democratic accountability and erodes the collective will of the people.
The NLC vowed to resist what it termed a slide into autocracy, warning that disenfranchising one senatorial district is tantamount to stealing representation from all Nigerians. “An attack on one senator today is an attack on the sovereignty of every Nigerian voter tomorrow,” Ajaero declared, adding that the labour movement would mobilise nationwide resistance if the Senate failed to act.
