By Ayomide Otitoju
Security operatives on Tuesday barred suspended Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from accessing the National Assembly premises in Abuja, where she had planned to resume legislative duties.
Akpoti-Uduaghan arrived at the complex accompanied by supporters but was stopped at the first gate. Heavily armed police officers, patrol vans, and locked gates signaled the Senate’s firm stance on enforcing her suspension.
The senator had earlier cited a Federal High Court ruling from July 4, which she claims invalidates her six-month suspension and mandates her reinstatement. However, the Senate disagrees, arguing the court’s verdict is merely advisory and does not override the legislature’s internal disciplinary processes.
In a preemptive statement, the Senate warned Akpoti-Uduaghan not to attempt re-entry, as tensions grow between judicial authority and parliamentary autonomy.
