African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Senate of abusing democratic principles by preventing Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from resuming her legislative duties after serving a six-month suspension.
Gatekeepers News reports that Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, wrote to the Clerk of the National Assembly on August 28, 2025, notifying him of her intention to resume on September 4—the day she said marked the end of her suspension.
However, in a statement on Wednesday, ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, criticised the Senate leadership for what he described as “malicious” obstruction of the lawmaker’s return.
“The refusal of the Senate leadership to allow Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan resume her duties is abusive and morally indefensible. The suspension, which was not imposed by a court of law, has lapsed, and extending it indefinitely is a violation of the constitution and the mandate of the people,” Abdullahi said.
The ADC argued that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s constituents were being denied representation, stressing that she was also stripped of her salaries, aides, and office access during her suspension.
“To strip an elected senator of these tools is not discipline, it is institutional mugging,” Abdullahi added.
The party accused the Godswill Akpabio-led Senate of acting as though “legislative power can be exercised without accountability,” insisting that respected legal voices had already declared the suspension unconstitutional once it elapsed.
“A pending legal appeal does not suspend constitutional rights, nor does it grant any official the power to override the mandate of the electorate,” Abdullahi said.
The ADC also faulted the Clerk of the National Assembly for refusing to process Akpoti-Uduaghan’s resumption on grounds that the matter was sub judice.
“His role is not to adjudicate but to facilitate. When the administrative machinery becomes hostage to political interests, the institution itself is diminished,” Abdullahi stated.
The party further raised concerns that Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only four women in the 109-member Senate, was being unfairly targeted in a manner that could discourage women from politics.
“Nigeria’s paltry female representation of 2.7 percent is already among the worst in Africa. Any action that resembles gendered intimidation of the few women in the Senate would only discourage women’s participation and make Nigeria appear even worse in the eyes of the world,” Abdullahi warned.
The ADC demanded that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan be allowed to resume her legislative duties without further delay.
