Abuja: The suspended senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has announced her intention to approach the appellate court to seek an interpretation of the legal impasse involving her and Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. This declaration came after she was denied entry into the National Assembly Complex by security personnel.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the senator defied a heavy security presence and arrived at the national assembly complex on foot, accompanied by supporters. This follows her ongoing contestation of the senate's decision to suspend her, a matter currently in court. Akpoti-Uduaghan, alongside activists including Aisha Yesufu, approached the premises from the MOPOL gate, demonstrating her determination to challenge what she perceives as an unjust suspension.
She explained to journalists that her suspension was not only unjust but also procedurally flawed, labeling the process as fraudulent. The senator claimed that the document recommending her suspension was merely a photocopy of an attendance sheet, misrepresented as signatures of committee members.
Akpoti-Uduaghan further elaborated on the legal nuances of her case, stating that the judgment she appealed involved two distinct parts: one addressing contempt related to a satirical apology she posted on Facebook, which was deemed contemptuous by a judge, and the other concerning her suspension.
Despite the national assembly's impending two-month recess starting Wednesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan remains resolute in her stance that her suspension is no longer valid. She emphasized her commitment to addressing what she views as a fraudulent suspension process, underscoring the urgency of her appeal to the appellate court.