Prominent social and political advocate, Aisha Yesufu, has pledged her support for Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the representative of Kogi Central, as the lawmaker prepares to return to the Senate on Tuesday despite resistance from the upper legislative chamber.
On Monday, Yesufu declared her intention to accompany Akpoti-Uduaghan to the National Assembly, stressing that the senator was entitled to resume her role, especially after the judiciary had delivered a ruling in her favor.
“Senator Natasha has every legal and moral right to return to her seat, and she will not be going alone tomorrow,” Yesufu said during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily. “We’ll accompany her and stand with her. If the Senate chooses to kill us, so be it.”
She also criticized what she described as entrenched systemic bias against female politicians in Nigeria, citing the limited representation of women in the Senate as an example.
“We are less than a third in the Senate—only four women out of 109 senators—and even with that small number, they still go after us,” she lamented. “You’re targeting a woman who has simply been doing her job with integrity. This discrimination must stop.”
Yesufu condemned the Senate’s decision to suspend Akpoti-Uduaghan, calling it unconstitutional and illegal. She expressed disbelief that an institution meant to uphold the law would act in contradiction to it.
“That suspension should never have happened. It’s unlawful. The court didn’t bar Natasha from returning to the Senate. The court has deemed the suspension unconstitutional,” Yesufu added. “Natasha wasn’t made a senator by the Senate—she was elected by her people. Depriving them of representation is undemocratic.”
She further accused the Senate of flouting judicial orders and rebuked the judiciary for succumbing to political manipulation.
“The court asked them to halt the suspension process, yet they ignored it. The Senate is showing Nigerians that it can act with impunity,” Yesufu argued. “The judiciary, which used to be the last hope of the common citizen, is now being swayed by corrupt political interests. Even after judgments are issued, decisions are influenced by political calculations.”
Despite this, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has reaffirmed her decision to return to legislative duties on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. This is in spite of an appeal filed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio challenging the earlier court verdict which nullified her suspension.
While addressing supporters in her hometown of Ihima, Kogi State on Saturday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said, “I have about two months remaining before the six-month suspension ends. I’ve written to the Senate again, notifying them that I intend to resume on Tuesday, July 22, by God’s grace.”
She emphasized that the court had already ruled in her favor. “They may try to argue that the ruling wasn’t an order, but it is indeed a judicial decision,” she said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan added that while she had remained engaged with her constituents through outreach programs, her suspension had obstructed her core duties in the Senate, such as bill sponsorship and legislative debate.
Back in July, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that the senator’s suspension was unconstitutional and instructed the Senate to reinstate her. However, Akpabio’s legal representatives have challenged the verdict, arguing that it interferes with parliamentary independence and violates Section 251 of the 1999 Constitution.
In a fresh statement released on Sunday, the Senate reiterated its position that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan should not return to the chambers yet, claiming that the court’s decision did not constitute a legally binding directive.
Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu remarked that the ruling did not include any enforceable directive for reinstatement. “It is shocking and legally unfounded that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is acting on a supposed order of recall that doesn’t exist,” he stated.
The Senate cautioned that any attempt by the senator to return to the chamber would be seen as premature and a challenge to the authority of the Senate.
“As a law-abiding body, the Senate remains committed to the rule of law and the sanctity of its proceedings. Any disruption will not be tolerated,” the statement warned.
The upper chamber stated it would, at an appropriate time, review the court’s advisory opinion regarding its Standing Orders and Akpoti-Uduaghan’s return. Until that process concludes, it urged the senator to refrain from entering the Senate chamber.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on March 6, 2025, for allegedly violating Senate rules following a dispute linked to seating arrangements and her public accusation of sexual misconduct against Senate President Akpabio—a charge he has denied.
What You Should Know
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s attempt to resume her Senate duties is backed by a Federal High Court ruling deeming her suspension unconstitutional.
However, the Senate insists there’s no binding order mandating her return. Aisha Yesufu’s support highlights growing concern over gender bias in Nigerian politics and the perceived erosion of judicial independence.
