Security officers block Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from entering di National Assembly

Nigerian female senator wey bin raise allegations of sexual harassment against di senate president, don dey denied entry into di National Assembly building for Abuja dis Monday.

Di senate bin suspend Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months for March dis year afta dem find her guilty of flouting dia standing rules, but on 5 July, 2025, di federal high court for Abuja rule say di senate "can and should recall her".

Di senate spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, bin don tok say di ruling no be binding order but na mere advisory to di senate leadership wey dem fit obey or not.

But Akpoti-Uduaghan bin tell her supporters say she go resume for di senate chambers on Tuesday in accordance wit di court ruling.

Security presence for di entrance of di National Assembly complex bin dey tighter on Tuesday in anticipation say di senator fit show up, and she true-true try to gain access into di complex but dem deny her entry.

Dem first stop her vehicle for di outermost gate, but di senator come down and waka pass di first barricade wia another batch of security personnel stop her again.

Di senator bin dey accompanied by some of her supporters including popular activist Aisha Yesufu, but security operatives block all of dem from entering.

Video wey go viral on social media show as Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan dey ask one man wey be like di leader of di security pipo why dem dey barricade a serving senator from entering di senate building, and di man tok say "I no get any ansa".

Later, di senator address tori pipo wia she tok say she bin give di senate notice by writing a letter to dem two times say she go resume sitting dis Tuesday.

She accuse di Senate President Godswill Akpabio say he be "law breaker" as e no wan obey a valid decision of court.

Senate President, Akpabio neva comment on di allegation.

Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan explain say di decision of court fit come in five ways wey be: judicial decree, sentence, order, conviction or recommendation.

She say even though di decision of Justice Binta Nyako of di federal high court be like recommendation to di senate to recall her, na still a valid decision of court and e dey binding.

On di issue about di appeal wey di senate bin file against di judgement of di federal high court, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan tell tori pipo say di notice of appeal wey she receive show say na Godswill Akpabio file di appeal, no be di national assembly, or di senate or di senate committee on ethics, privileges and public complaints who bin first reccomend her suspension.

BBC News Pidgin neva fit independently verify Senator Natasha claim.

"E no get any reason whatsover why I no suppose resume today bicos di senate don appeal di judgement to recall me. Di senate no appeal am," she tok.

Di female senator also agree say she bin file appeal against di five million naira fine wey Justice Binta Nyako bin sama her sake of contempt of court.

Rememba say Justice Nyako bin rule say Mrs Akpoti-Uduagha dey guilty of civil contempt bicos she bin post one laugh-laugh apology letter to di Senate President on facebook, despite say di court bin order make nobody make any public comment about di matter.

Justice Nyako also order di senator to write apology to di court for her disrespect, and di apology must dey published on top her facebook account and for two national newspapers.

However, Mrs Akpoti-Uduagha tell tori pipo on Tuesday say she no gree say she dey guilty of contempt of court and na why she file di appeal.

"Say I appeal di contempt ruling no invalidate in any way di decision of di court say I suppose resume," she tok.

Brief background

Ogbonge gbas-gbos bin happun for di National Assembly between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Natasha for February dis year wen Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan bin para for Senate President Godswill Akpabio sake of say dem relocate her sitting position for di red chambers.

Di kasala happen sotee Akpabio bin give order make di Sergeant-at-Arms carry Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan comot from di chamber afta she refuse to go to di seat wey dem allocate for her.

She accuse Akpabio say im deliberately wan silence her voice and also deny her opportunity to contribute to motions.

Di senator say di senate president just dey "discriminate against me, malign me, and dehumanise me".

Afta di drama, di senate accuse Natasha of breaking dia rules as she disobey di order to relocate to her new seat.

Di matter go bifor di senate committee on ethics, privileges and public petitions, but Natasha refuse to appear bifor di committee bicos she say she don carry di matter go court.

However, di committee do dia hearing for her absence and recommend say she go dey suspended for six months.

Mrs Akpoti-Uduagha final words as she dey comot for di senate chamber after her suspension tell di lawmakers na: "Dis injustice no go dey sustained."