The senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has said she will take leadership of the Senate before the appellate court after she was blocked from accessing the National Assembly complex on Tuesday.
Akpoti-Uduaghan told journalists that she would consult her legal team immediately to kick-start the process, stressing that it was a violation of the recent judgment calling for her reinstatement.
The decision came after she was denied entry to the National Assembly, despite a court order that voided her long suspension.
The senator also questioned the basis for her initial suspension, saying, “Even the suspension ab initio was fraudulent— it was faulty.”
She said, “Going forward, I will have a meeting with my legal team so they can proceed to the appellate court to seek interpretation of what just happened. I am a law-abiding citizen.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan who condemned the Senate’s actions, calling it an act of contempt of court by the Senate under its President, Godswill Akpabio.
She said, “Akpabio cannot be greater than the Nigerian Constitution. I want Nigerians to know that the Office of the Senate President doesn’t give me legitimacy as a senator.
“The fact that he has gone on appeal does not invalidate the decision of Justice Binta Nyako, and that does not stop me from being a senator.
“I got my legitimacy as a senator from the people of Kogi, who voted me into office as senator.
“That I have been denied entrance to the National Assembly is a statement being made. It’s on record that the National Assembly under Akpabio has decided to be in contempt of a court decision, and it’s quite ironic that they are lawmakers. That poses the question: how far is our democracy in this day and age?”
The Kogi lawmaker had earlier stormed the National Assembly as her supporters converged at the entrance to await her. But was prevented from entering as the gates were locked with heavy presence of security operatives.
