A fierce confrontation is brewing in the National Assembly as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), rights group SERAP, and human rights lawyer Abdul Mahmud accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of plotting to silence opposition voices by preventing Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) from returning to the chamber after the expiration of her six-month suspension.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was barred from the Senate on March 6, 2025, following a heated altercation with Akpabio over seating arrangements, formally notified the National Assembly leadership of her intention to resume on September 4. Her suspension was due to lapse that day.
But in a reply signed by Acting Clerk of the National Assembly, Dr. Yahaya Danzaria, she was told her punishment remained “active” because the matter was still pending before the Court of Appeal.
“The matter, therefore, remains sub judice,” the Clerk’s letter read. “Until the judicial process is concluded and the Senate formally reviews the suspension in light of the court’s pronouncement, no administrative action can be taken to facilitate your resumption.”
PDP: Opposition under attack
The PDP rejected the explanation, describing it as a ploy by Akpabio and the All Progressives Congress (APC)-controlled Senate to deny Kogi Central constituents their voice in the upper chamber.
“This reported action smacks of a calculated attempt orchestrated by the APC leadership to abridge the right of representation of the people of Kogi Central and silence the opposition,” PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba said.
Calling the move unconstitutional and provocative, the party accused Akpabio of weaponising parliamentary bureaucracy to suppress critics and of sustaining a pattern of hostility towards women in politics.
“The reported action against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan further brings to the fore the sustained attempts to stifle women’s voices, as seen in various allegations of harassment against the current Senate President,” the PDP added.
Abdul Mahmud: “Appeal not a shield”
Echoing the PDP, human rights lawyer Abdul Mahmud said the Senate had no legal ground to bar Akpoti-Uduaghan beyond March to September, the duration of her suspension.
“The Senate cannot lawfully prevent Natasha from resuming after the expiration of her suspension, even if the matter is on appeal,” he argued.
“Suspension is by its nature time-bound; once the specified period elapses, the sanction lapses automatically. An appeal does not operate as a stay of execution. To continue excluding her would be contempt of court and a violation of democratic norms.”
SERAP: “Travesty of justice”
Civil society organisation SERAP also threw its weight behind Akpoti-Uduaghan, describing her continued exclusion as “a travesty of justice.”
“There is no law in Nigeria that prevents her resumption pending the outcome of a court case,” the group said. “Being a senator does not strip Mrs. Akpoti-Uduaghan of her fundamental rights. This illegality must end.”
SERAP demanded her immediate reinstatement and full payment of all withheld salaries and allowances, warning that using pending litigation as cover to perpetuate illegality undermines the rule of law.
A looming flashpoint
The PDP has urged the international community, human rights bodies, and pro-democracy groups to intervene, warning of “creeping totalitarianism” under the APC government. It also encouraged Akpoti-Uduaghan to “ignore the Clerk’s letter” and take her seat when plenary resumes on September 23.
“The Senate leadership must allow her to perform her roles as an elected senator unhindered,” the party said.
With the controversy deepening, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s attempted return may trigger a dramatic showdown in the chamber—one that could test the resilience of Nigeria’s democracy, the sanctity of judicial process, and the limits of legislative authority.
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