Founder of the School of Politics, Policy and Governance, Dr. Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili, has called on the Senate to immediately reinstate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central), insisting that the continued suspension of the lawmaker is a blatant misuse of legislative power and an assault on Nigeria’s Constitution.
In a statement she personally signed, Ezekwesili urged Nigerians to raise a unified voice and resist what she described as an ongoing constitutional violation, which has now lasted six months.
The statement, titled “Senate’s Constitutional Overreach in the Case of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan,” followed the expiration of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension, which was imposed after she accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment. Despite the suspension period having lapsed, the Senate on September 4, 2025, issued a letter informing the Kogi lawmaker that she would remain suspended indefinitely.
Ezekwesili warned that democracy is endangered when laws are weaponised and lawmakers repeatedly act outside the law. She argued that the indefinite suspension is both unconstitutional and unjustifiable, especially as the Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Binta Nyako, had already ruled that the initial suspension was “excessive” and violated constitutional provisions.
“Six months have passed since the unconstitutional suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on March 6, 2025. The senator representing the people of Kogi Central Senatorial District was suspended following her allegation of sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio,” the statement read.
“These six months have witnessed an unprecedented assault on constitutional principles, judicial authority, and the very foundations of our democratic institutions. Rather than transparently investigate the allegation against the Senate President, an errant political class has used this opportunity to taunt citizens on how successfully they have captured the Nigerian state, perpetrating unlimited abuse with zero accountability or fear of consequences.”
The Senate, justifying its latest decision, claimed that because the matter remains before the courts, no administrative step could be taken to enable Akpoti-Uduaghan’s return. Ezekwesili rejected this position as “fundamentally flawed,” contending that pending litigation cannot excuse a prolonged and unconstitutional suspension.
She emphasised that Justice Nyako’s judgment was clear: suspending a lawmaker for six months, in a legislative calendar of only 181 sitting days per year, effectively deprives constituents of representation for nearly an entire session.
Ezekwesili admitted she had almost abandoned attempts to advise the political class, which she described as bent on “self-destruction,” but felt compelled to speak against what she called a fresh assault on democratic principles.
“The Senate must recall Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan without delay and prove that Nigeria’s commitment to justice, constitutional governance, and the rule of law is more than rhetoric. This hubris must end,” she said.
She further cautioned that every day of non-compliance erodes the nation’s democratic foundations. “Every moment court orders are defied by those in power teaches our children that law is optional for the powerful,” she added.
According to Ezekwesili, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s right to resume was explicitly confirmed by Justice Nyako’s ruling. Having already served out the unconstitutional suspension, Ezekwesili maintained that her immediate recall is not only a matter of justice for one senator but a collective defence of Nigerians’ right against abuse of public power.
