Socio-political activist Aisha Yesufu has expressed unwavering support for Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who remains determined to resume her duties at the Senate on Tuesday despite resistance from the upper legislative chamber.
On Monday, Yesufu announced her plans to accompany the embattled Kogi Central senator to the National Assembly, emphasizing that Akpoti-Uduaghan is legally entitled to resume her legislative responsibilities based on a court ruling.
“I think Senator Natasha has every right to resume office, and by tomorrow — she is not going to resume alone. There are people who are going to go with her, and I’ll be one of them.
“We’ll be with her and stand with her. And if the Senate decides they are going to kill us, let them kill us,” Yesufu said on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
She strongly criticized what she described as entrenched discrimination against women in Nigeria’s political space.
“We are not even one-third. Out of 109 senators, we have only four women. Yet you go after them — you’re going after this particular lady who has done nothing other than discharge her duty the way it should be. Enough of us being treated in this country as if we are second-class citizens,” she stated.
Yesufu also condemned the Senate’s decision to suspend Akpoti-Uduaghan, describing it as a breach of the constitution and a disregard for a valid judicial ruling.
“The suspension by the Senate is unconstitutional. It’s unlawful. It should never have happened in the first place — especially coming from an institution supposed to uphold the constitution.
“The court didn’t stop Natasha from going in, so she has a right to resume office. The court has ruled that the whole suspension is unconstitutional. The Senate didn’t make Natasha a senator — her people did — and there’s no way you can deprive them of their representation,” the activist stated.
She further accused the Senate of flouting court directives and criticized the judiciary for being compromised by political interference.
“There was a ruling telling them to halt the suspension process, but they didn’t obey. The Senate is sending a message to Nigerians that it can act with impunity and disregard court rulings.
“The judiciary, which should be the last hope of the common man, is now a pawn in the hands of corrupt politicians. Even when a judgement is delivered, the judiciary now looks at the body language of those dictating what should be written,” the activist said.
Despite an ongoing appeal by Senate President Godswill Akpabio challenging the Federal High Court’s decision that declared her suspension unlawful, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has reaffirmed her intention to return to plenary on Tuesday, July 22, 2025.
Speaking in her hometown, Ihima, Kogi State, she said:
“I have pretty much two months left before the six months expire. However, I’ve written to the Senate again, telling them that I’m resuming on the 22nd, which is Tuesday, by the special grace of God.”
“I will be there because the court did make a decision on that. They may argue that it’s not an order, but it is a decision,” she added.
While Akpoti-Uduaghan has continued supporting her constituency through empowerment programs, she explained that the suspension had restricted her from participating in core legislative duties such as sponsoring bills or contributing to debates.
In July, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled the Senate’s suspension of the lawmaker to be unconstitutional and directed her reinstatement.
However, Senate President Akpabio’s legal team has appealed the ruling, arguing that it interferes with legislative processes and falls outside the court’s jurisdiction, citing Section 251 of the 1999 Constitution.
Meanwhile, Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu stated that Akpoti-Uduaghan should not return to the chamber, arguing there is no binding court order compelling her reinstatement before the end of her six-month suspension.
The Senate had suspended her on March 6, 2025, citing alleged rule violations following a heated dispute over seating arrangements and accusations of sexual misconduct against Akpabio, which he has denied.