Akpabio Senate Under Fire For Natasha Suspension

The leadership of the Senate under Godswill Akpabio has come under sharp criticism following its handling of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension.

The controversy erupted after the Acting Clerk to the National Assembly, Yahaya Danzaria, issued a letter claiming that her suspension remained in force despite its official expiration on September 6.

The development followed a court case at the Court of Appeal over the legality of the six-month suspension earlier imposed on the senator representing Kogi Central. By tying her resumption to the pending appeal, the Senate effectively prolonged her absence from the chamber, leaving her constituents without representation.

Observers have described the move as a constitutional overreach and an abuse of legislative authority. Legal experts argue that the suspension lapsed by law and that preventing the senator from returning to her seat undermines the rights of voters in Kogi Central.

The matter has sparked a wider debate on the limits of legislative power in a democracy. Civil society groups and lawyers insist that suspensions should not be used to silence political opponents or frustrate dissenting voices within the National Assembly.

Akpabio, who became Senate President in June 2023, has been accused of using his position to settle political scores, with critics warning that the action risks eroding the credibility of the Senate. They argue that continuing to bar Akpoti-Uduaghan from the chamber amounts to suppressing opposition and destabilising parliamentary democracy.

Constitutional lawyers such as Adedayo Adedeji (SAN) and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN) have maintained that the senator ought to be reinstated immediately. They stress that any contrary position portrays the Senate as vindictive and petty, while also violating sections of the Constitution guaranteeing representation for all constituencies.

The standoff has heightened political tension, with many warning that the Senate’s credibility is at stake if it continues on this path. For now, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and the people of Kogi Central remain caught in the middle of a battle over power, law, and the future of democratic accountability in Nigeria.