ADC asks Senate, Akpabio to allow Senator Natasha resume
By Andrew Oota, Abuja
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned the continued refusal to allow Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to resume her seat in the Senate after completing a six-month suspension.
The ADC described the action as a violation of democratic principles and a dangerous precedent.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party accused the Senate leadership of defying legal and moral obligations by blocking the Kogi Central lawmaker from returning to the chamber.
“The continued obstruction of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from resuming her seat is not only malicious but deeply injurious to the spirit of our constitutional democracy,” the statement read.
“Whether one agrees with the basis for her suspension or not, its tenure has lapsed. Any further attempt to prevent her return is both illegal and morally indefensible.”
The ADC warned that the move reflects an increasingly anti-democratic posture by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government, which it accused of silencing opposition voices and punishing dissent.
According to the statement, Senator Natasha was stripped of her salaries, legislative aides, and access to her office during the suspension — measures the party described as “institutional mugging.”
“Even more disturbing is the posture of the Senate leadership, which acts as though legislative power can be exercised without accountability. A suspension that has run its course cannot be made indefinite by stealth,” Abdullahi said, citing legal experts who insist that a pending court case cannot override a senator’s constitutional mandate.
The party also criticized the Acting Clerk of the National Assembly for refusing to process Natasha’s resumption, accusing him of “administrative complicity” and insisting that his role is to facilitate, not adjudicate, parliamentary matters.
The ADC stressed that Natasha’s continued exclusion undermines women’s political participation, noting that she is one of only four female senators out of 109.
“Nigeria’s female representation in the Senate stands at just 2.7 percent, one of the lowest in Africa,” the statement added. “Actions that intimidate or sideline the few women in parliament will only worsen gender imbalance and damage Nigeria’s global image.”
The party demanded that Senator Natasha be allowed to immediately resume her duties, describing the matter as a test of Nigeria’s commitment to democracy, the rule of law, and inclusion.
