Prominent socio-political activist Aisha Yesufu has declared unwavering support for Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is set to resume her legislative duties on Tuesday, despite ongoing resistance from the leadership of the Nigerian Senate.
In an interview with Channels Television on Monday, Yesufu insisted that the embattled Kogi Central lawmaker has every legal right to reclaim her seat following a court ruling declaring her suspension unconstitutional.
“I think Senator Natasha has every right to resume office, and by tomorrow, she is not going to resume alone. There are people who are going to go with her, and I’ll be one of them,” Yesufu boldly declared.
“We’ll be with her and stand with her. And if the Senate decides they are going to kill us, let them kill us.”
Yesufu criticized what she called systemic discrimination against women in Nigerian politics, pointing out that out of 109 senators, only four are women. She described Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension as a targeted attack aimed at silencing a vocal and effective female lawmaker.
“Yet you go after them, you’re going after this particular lady who has done nothing other than discharge her duty the way it should be. Enough of us being treated in this country as if we are second-class citizens,” she said.
She further blasted the Senate’s refusal to obey court rulings, stating that while the judiciary delivered a valid judgment, the upper legislative chamber continues to act with impunity.
“The court has ruled that the whole suspension is unconstitutional. The Senate didn’t make Natasha a senator — her people did, and there’s no way you can deprive them of their representation,” Yesufu argued.
Meanwhile, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, while addressing supporters in Ihima, Kogi State, reaffirmed her resolve to return to the chamber on Tuesday, July 23, stating that the court’s decision has empowered her to resume.
“I’ve written to the Senate again, telling them that I’m resuming on the 22nd… I will be there because the court did make a decision on that. They may argue that it’s not an order, but it is a decision.”
The senator acknowledged that although she has continued working with her constituents, her suspension has limited her legislative capacity, especially in bill sponsorship and Senate debates.
Earlier this month, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled the six-month suspension unconstitutional, advising the Senate to lift it. The suspension stemmed from an alleged breach of Senate rules, amid a heated altercation involving seat arrangements and sexual misconduct allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio — claims he strongly denies.
However, Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu, in a statement on Sunday, dismissed the court’s ruling as merely advisory, stressing that it lacked any enforceable order.
“It is therefore surprising and legally untenable that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan… is attempting to act upon an imaginary order of recall that does not exist,” Adaramodu stated.
He further warned that Natasha’s return to the Senate ahead of time would be viewed as undermining the dignity of the chamber, while assuring the public that the Senate would consider the court’s position “at the appropriate time.”
The unfolding saga continues to spark national debate over judicial independence, legislative accountability, and the role of women in Nigeria’s political space.
Stay with Creebhills for more on this developing story.
