ADC Slams Senate Over Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Continued Suspension, Calls It an Affront to Democracy

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly condemned what it describes as the continued obstruction of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from resuming her legislative duties at the Senate, calling it a direct affront to Nigeria’s democratic values.

In a statement signed by the party’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC accused the Senate leadership of defying both legal precedent and moral responsibility by stalling the senator’s return, despite the expiration of her six-month suspension.

The party emphasized that the senator, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, was suspended by the Senate not by a court of law, and that her suspension had already run its course. It warned that any further attempt to prevent her from resuming office was not only illegal but morally indefensible.

“It is important to recall that the suspension of Senator Natasha was imposed by the Senate, not by a court of law. And whether one agrees with the basis for that decision or not, the tenure of that disciplinary action has lapsed. Any further attempt to prevent her from resuming is therefore both illegal and morally indefensible,” the statement said.

According to the ADC, this issue goes beyond partisan politics and strikes at the very core of democratic representation. The party accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government of orchestrating efforts to silence the opposition and described the continued delay in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s resumption as part of a growing trend of intolerance toward dissenting voices.

“This is not about partisan politics. It is about a dangerous precedent being set within our legislative institutions, one that reduces democratic representation to the whims of a few individuals rather than the will of the electorate. It is about a political culture that appears more invested in punishing dissent than in upholding justice.”

The ADC stated that the people of Kogi Central elected Senator Natasha to speak on their behalf, and that denying her access to the Senate chamber amounted to denying her constituents the right to be heard. The party also criticized the denial of her salaries, access to legislative aides, and office resources during her suspension, noting that these are essential tools for public service not privileges to be revoked.

“It is especially troubling that during the course of her suspension, Senator Natasha was denied her salaries, legislative aides, and access to her office. These are not privileges, but instruments of public service. To strip an elected senator of these tools is not discipline, it is institutional mugging,” the statement added.

The party further challenged the Senate President and his colleagues to explain why a suspension that had clearly lapsed was being quietly extended under the guise of procedural ambiguity. It cited opinions from several Senior Advocates of Nigeria, who argued that a pending legal appeal does not override constitutional rights or the mandate given by the electorate.

“Several respected Senior Advocates of Nigeria have rightly observed that Senator Natasha’s suspension, having fully lapsed, can no longer be used as a justification to deny her return. A pending legal appeal does not suspend constitutional rights, nor does it grant any official the power to override the mandate of the electorate. To continue barring her from office is therefore a violation of the constitution. The Senate, as the nation’s highest law-making body, must not be seen to violate the very laws it exists to uphold.”

The ADC also criticized the Clerk of the National Assembly for refusing to process her resumption on the grounds that the matter is sub judice. The party accused the Clerk of administrative complicity, insisting that his role is to facilitate, not adjudicate.

“While the Clerk may claim administrative caution, what is being projected is administrative complicity. His role is not to adjudicate but to facilitate. When the administrative machinery becomes hostage to political interests, the institution itself is diminished.”

Beyond the legal and political implications, the party expressed grave concern over the broader impact of the Senate’s actions on women’s political participation. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is one of only four women in the 109-member Senate, and the ADC warned that any action resembling gender-based intimidation would only worsen Nigeria’s already dismal record on female political representation.

“Nigeria’s paltry female representation of 2.7% is already among the worst records of women political participation even in Africa. Any action that resembles gendered intimidation of the few women in the Senate would only discourage women participation and make Nigeria appear even worse in the eyes of the world. Nigeria cannot claim to be a democracy while marginalizing half of its population from its most critical spaces of decision-making.”

The ADC concluded by emphasizing that this issue is not merely about one senator’s seat, but about preserving the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy. It called on the Senate to do what is right not just by law, but by the principles of justice, inclusion, and representation.

“The soul of democracy lies in its capacity to accommodate dissent, protect the minority voice, and uphold the rule of law, no matter how inconvenient. What is at stake here is not just one Senate seat, but the integrity of our democracy itself.”

Source: The Sun