By Isaac Okoro
Abuja, Nigeria – A suspended Nigerian Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, was on Tuesday blocked from entering the parliamentary complex in Abuja, intensifying a dispute linked to her allegations of sexual harassment against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, who denies the claims.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only four women among 109 senators, has asserted that her six-month suspension is a direct consequence of her sexual harassment accusation. However, the Senate leadership maintains that her suspension, imposed in March, stemmed from “unruly and disruptive” behavior during a legislative session. The suspension is set to expire in September.
On Tuesday, the senator’s convoy was first halted at the outer gate of the National Assembly. Undeterred, Akpoti-Uduaghan proceeded on foot but was subsequently stopped by security personnel at the inner gate, preventing her access to the chambers.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had vowed to return to work, citing a federal high court ruling which she claimed ordered the Senate to allow her reinstatement. However, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has publicly argued against judicial interference in parliamentary affairs. He has since challenged the federal high court’s decision at the Court of Appeal, reiterating that parliamentary procedures are shielded from such intervention. The Court of Appeal has not yet delivered its ruling on the matter.
Speaking to journalists shortly after being denied entry, Akpoti-Uduaghan accused the Senate leadership of being in contempt of court.
“Akpabio cannot be greater than the Nigerian constitution,” she declared. “The office of the Senate President does not give him legitimacy. My legitimacy comes from the people of Kogi (state) who voted me in.”
The lawmaker stated that she would consult her legal team to determine her next course of action. According to the Senate’s own rules, Akpoti-Uduaghan is not permitted entry into the assembly premises until her suspension officially expires later this year.
The prolonged dispute has drawn attention from civil society groups across Nigeria, who have expressed concerns over the senator’s treatment. They have called for a thorough and transparent investigation into her allegations of sexual harassment.
