Former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, has called on the Senate to immediately reverse the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and allow her to resume her legislative duties.
In a strongly worded memo addressed to the Senate, the judiciary, and Nigerians on Wednesday, Ezekwesili described the suspension of the Kogi Central lawmaker as unconstitutional and a misuse of public office powers.
She stressed that the crisis, which has lingered for six months, not only violated Akpoti-Uduaghan’s rights but also undermined Nigeria’s democratic values.
“Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s right to resume duties was explicitly affirmed in Justice Nyako’s ruling. She has served out the unconstitutional suspension. Our collective defense of her immediate return defends every Nigerian’s right against public power abuse,” Ezekwesili wrote.
The former minister warned that accountability was lost when the Senate acted as both accuser and judge, insisting that the matter between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan should not be dismissed as a mere personal quarrel.
According to her, the suspension raises broader questions about citizens’ rights, the protection of democracy, and the misuse of legislative authority.
Ezekwesili urged Nigerians to take a collective stand against what she described as a continuing “constitutional assault.”
*“To the Senate and Senators: Rescind your unconstitutional decision immediately. Recall Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan without delay. Cease your scandalous misappropriation of public office powers to break laws and breach our Constitution. Demonstrate that Nigeria’s commitment to justice, constitutional governance, and rule of law is substantive, not rhetorical. End this hubris now.
To Fellow Nigerians: Unify our voices and take a collective stand against this continuing constitutional assault. Six months of this crisis is already too many,”* she added.
Her intervention has reignited public debate over the Senate’s handling of the suspension, with many questioning the balance of power, judicial compliance, and the protection of democratic institutions in Nigeria.
