NASS defies court, bars Senator Natasha again

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, was on Tuesday blocked by security operatives from gaining access to the National Assembly complex, despite a court ruling declaring her suspension unconstitutional.

The embattled senator, who arrived in a black Sports Utility Vehicle, was stopped at the entrance of the complex.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing her supporters in a heated exchange with heavily armed police officers, personnel of the Department of State Services, DSS, and members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, who had formed a barricade at the gate.

This development came on the heels of her announced plan to resume plenary duties, citing a Federal High Court judgment as the legal foundation for her return.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate in March 2025 under controversial circumstances. The recent judgment by the court had ruled that her suspension was unconstitutional and had “no legal standing,” effectively paving the way for her to return.

In a public statement at a constituency engagement event last weekend, she declared, “I will be at the Senate on Tuesday, the 22nd of July. The court has ruled, and that is my mandate. Whether they call it an ‘advice’ or a ‘decision,’ it is still a ruling from a competent court.”

Her legal counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) West Idahosa, reiterated that the judgment was binding and that the senator had every right to resume.

“Attendance at the Senate is part of her constitutional responsibilities. The judgment was clear. The plaintiff should go back to work—that implies she should resume her duties,” Idahosa stated.

READ ALSO: Senate adamant on Natasha’s recall order

However, the Senate leadership remains defiant. In a letter dated July 14, addressed to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team, the National Assembly claimed that the judgment merely “advised” the Senate to consider her return and did not explicitly compel them to reinstate her.

The letter, signed by Charles Yoila, Director of Litigation and Counselling for the Clerk to the National Assembly, argued that the court order was not binding and that the legislative body reserved the discretion to act—or not—on the judgment.

This ongoing legal-political drama has captured national attention. Footage shared by Sahara Reporters showed Senator Natasha later stepping out of her vehicle and walking determinedly toward the complex gate, further intensifying the standoff between her camp and security operatives.

It remains unclear how the matter will be resolved in the days ahead, but constitutional lawyers warn that failure to respect court judgments could deepen the conflict between the judiciary and legislature, setting a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy.

For now, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan remains physically and politically shut out of the red chambers—despite having a court ruling in her favor.

Crediblenewsng.com