Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, has dismissed Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s attempt to resume plenary duties as mere “skit making.”
Gatekeepers News reports that the senator representing Kogi Central was suspended in May for six months after accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment.
She attempted to return to the Senate on Tuesday, citing a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja as justification. However, security personnel denied her entry into the National Assembly complex.
Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television, Adaramodu described the senator’s move as “political theatrics.”
He said, “The national assembly at large has a lot of roles to play. We are legislators and lawmakers, not spectators to be watching skit-making and content creation.”
“Initially, I said all these episodes and saga is all about content creation. Now that the content has been created, it’s degenerating into a season film.”
“We are not interested. We are lawmakers, not actors. We are not interested in all these kinds of things.”
Adaramodu clarified that enforcing court orders is not the role of the litigant but of designated court officers such as bailiffs.
He noted that the Federal High Court ruling did not overturn Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension, but only directed her to issue a public apology, pay a ₦5 million fine, and retract a social media post, orders she is currently appealing.
Adaramodu criticised her approach, saying she arrived at the National Assembly with a crowd, placards, and protest chants, which amounted to a confrontational and unlawful attempt to re-enter the chamber.
He said, “If you are coming to the national assembly with a mob… carrying placards, chanting war songs, there’s no way the national assembly will allow you in.”
“The only place where senators can access is the chamber. And we never allow anything that smacks like illegality to enter the chamber.”
The committee chairman insisted that the Senate acted within its constitutional powers, citing Section 60 of the Nigerian Constitution and Senate rules.
