The African Democratic Congress (ADC) today criticized the Senate leadership for blocking Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s return to the Senate. They called it abusive and a direct attack on Nigeria’s democratic norms.
The ADC said that the Senate leadership was breaking both the law and their moral duty by not letting the Kogi Central senator back to work after a six-month suspension.
In a statement from its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said that the continued blockade shows that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government is anti-democratic and wants to muzzle opposition voices and punish dissent.
The party said that treating Senator Natasha this way could make it much harder for women to get involved in politics.
The ADC noted that it sees this trend as not just bad, but also very harmful to the essence of constitutional democracy, especially the right to disagree.
“It is important to remember that the Senate, not a court of law, suspended Senator Natasha.” And no matter what you think about the reason for that decision, the time for that punishment is passed. So, any additional attempt to keep her from returning is both illegal and wrong.
“This isn’t about politics between parties. It is about a hazardous precedent being formed in our legislative institutions. This makes it such that a few people can decide what the people want, instead of the people themselves. It has to do with a political culture that seems more interested in punishing people who disagree than in defending justice.
“Let it be obvious that the people in her district chose Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to speak for them. By not letting her into the chamber, you are also not letting her constituents be heard.
“It is especially concerning that Senator Natasha was not paid her salaries, had her legislative aides taken away, and was not allowed to go to her office while she was suspended. These are not perks; they are tools for serving the public. Taking these tools away from an elected senator is not punishment; it is institutional mugging.
It’s even more troubling that the Senate leadership has acted as if they can use their legislative power without being held accountable. We want the Senate President and his colleagues to explain why a suspension that has already ended should be made permanent without anyone knowing.
Several reputable Senior Advocates of Nigeria have correctly pointed out that Senator Natasha’s suspension has fully ended and can no longer be used as a reason to keep her from coming back. An appeal in court does not stop constitutional rights, and it does not give any official the capacity to go against what the voters want. So, it is against the law to keep her from taking office. “The Senate is the highest lawmaking body in the country, and it must not be seen to break the laws it is supposed to uphold,” the party added.
ADC also stated it was worried about the Clerk of the National Assembly’s unwillingness to process her resumption since the subject is sub judice. “While the Clerk may claim administrative caution, what is being projected is administrative complicity.” His job is not to decide but to help. The party claimed, “When politics take over the administrative machinery, the institution itself is weakened.”
The ADC also talked on how the Senate’s treatment of one of its few women affects women’s political engagement in general. They said, “Senator Natasha is one of only four women in a Senate of 109 members.” Nigeria’s low rate of female representation of 2.7% is already one of the worst in Africa when it comes to women in politics.
“Any action that looks like gender-based harassment of the few women in the Senate would only keep women from getting involved and make Nigeria look even worse to the rest of the world.”
ADC said that Nigeria can’t call itself a democracy if it keeps half of its people out of the most important decision-making areas.
“The heart of democracy is its ability to accept disagreement, protect the voice of the minority, and uphold the law, no matter how inconvenient.” The party declared, “This isn’t just about one Senate seat; it’s about the integrity of our democracy.”
The ADC claimed it strongly supports women’s political involvement and democratic values. It also said, “We demand that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan be allowed to return to work right away.”
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