…tight security as supporters storm NASS
….. Police fire teargas to disperse crowd
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has resumed duties as a lawmaker of the Federal Republic of Nigeria rafter six months of suspension, vowing that she would never apologise to the Senate if that is a condition for her return.
The lawmaker representing Kogi Central under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was greeted by a large crowd of jubilant supporters who thronged the National Assembly gates, chanting solidarity songs and waving placards as security operatives tightened access around the complex.
Her office, which had been sealed since July, was unsealed by the National Assembly’s serjeant-at-arms ahead of her arrival in the morning. She walked in to cheers and applause from her aides and supporters at about 1:10pm before addressing journalists.
“I want to be quite limited with what I will say, but in the weeks to come I will have much more to say,” Akpoti-Uduaghan began. “The last communication I received from the Clerk of the National Assembly was that I would not be allowed access to resume because the matter was still pending at the appeal. So I am still awaiting a formal letter because it is important to understand the conditions they might set illegally concerning the opening of my office.”
She said she was disturbed by reports that the Senate leadership planned to demand an apology as part of her reinstatement.
“I read somewhere that a leadership meeting was held yesterday, and the Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, would on October 7 read a motion calling on me to apologise. I am actually worried as to what apology they expect from me. You can’t apologise for an injustice,” she insisted.
Speaker further, she described her suspension as a product of fraud, saying, “May I remind the good people of Nigeria that the document that led to my illegal suspension, which Senator Nwoko Maxwell read, was written by the office of the Senate President.
“The signatures that endorsed it were not willful signatures; there was only an attendance sheet attached. That means the entire document that pronounced my suspension was riddled with fraud. This is just one illegality upon the other, and I think Nigerians should reject such things. If they are expecting me to apologise, I’m sorry, I don’t have those words. And if that is the condition for opening this office, then I think we have a long dance to make.”
She recounted the challenges she faced during her suspension, saying, “How much we have had to face and survive in the past six months happened in the full glare of Nigerians. From the unjust suspension to the recall, we survived. We survived the blockage of roads and waterways into Kogi that forced us to fly in by helicopter. We survived the blackmail from the so-called crazy lady on Facebook. It is amazing what we had to survive. To God Almighty be the glory.”
Visibly emotional, Akpoti-Uduaghan expressed gratitude to her family, constituents and allies. “My deepest appreciation goes to the good people of Kogi Central, Kogi State and Nigeria at large. To my husband, my love, I say I love you dearly, and I pray all men support their wives as much as you have supported me. To my children, thank you for your sacrifices.”
The lawmaker accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of unjustly treating her with disdain. “Senator Akpabio is not more of a senator than I am. He is not a governor of this place, yet he treated me as if I was his servant or domestic staff in his house. It is very unfortunate that after so many years of democracy, we would have the National Assembly being run by such dictatorship. It is totally unacceptable.”
But despite her suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan continued, she never abandoned her mandate as “no day went by without me looking out for opportunities to bring infrastructure or projects to my people and jobs wherever I could, because I didn’t want them to suffer the neglect and vacuum created by this injustice.”
She thanked civil society organisations, political parties and professional bodies that stood by her, including the Labour Party, ADC, PDP, the Nigerian Bar Association, the Nigeria Labour Congress, as well as political leaders including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex Senate President Bukola Saraki.
“I can’t even call all the names,” she said, “From Obiageli Ezekwesili to Sister Aisha, Mama P, Peter the Rock, Dr Viola, Uncle Femi Falana, and so many Nigerians who lent their voices, thank you. The voices of Nigerians made it clear to the Senate President that he just can’t keep pushing against the will of the people.”
She also commended the media, while assuring that all will be well with Nigeria if the people keep hope alive. “Our democracy is evolving and the future is bright. We cannot give up our hopes. Leading into 2027, we must put out actions that will be worthwhile because patriotically, we have a country to save.”
Meanwhile, policemen stationed at the main entrance of the National Assembly released at least four canisters of teargas on supporters of the Senator in a bid to prevent them from accessing the complex.
The supporters had gathered to accompany the returning lawmaker to her office but were stopped from proceeding further. In a bid to restrain them, some of the officers released teargas
to push back the crowd which dispersed after the incident.
