Akpabio Not Bigger Than Nigeria’s Constitution – Natasha

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Suspended lawmaker, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Tuesday, warned Senate President Godswill Akpabio not to place himself above the Nigerian Constitution.

Senator Natasha also accused the Senate leadership of going against a valid court order by stopping her from resuming her duties at the National Assembly.

The senator representing Kogi Central stated this during an interview with journalists at the assembly complex.

It is worth recalling that Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court nullified the suspension of Senator Natasha, who arrived at the National Assembly complex to reclaim her seat but was denied entry by security personnel at the gate.

Fuming after the incident, the senator described the development as a deliberate act of contempt by the Senate as she targeted Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

“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 done an 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,” she said.

The embattled senator also stated that her continued exclusion from the Senate speaks volumes concerning the state of Nigeria’s democracy.

“That I’ve 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?” she stated.

Akpoti-Uduaghan also berated the legality of her initial suspension by the Senate.

“Even the suspension ab initio was fraudulent; the document was faulty,” she stated.

She disclosed that her legal team would be meeting the appellate court for further interpretation and redress.

“Going forward, I will have a meeting with my legal team so they can proceed to the appellate court to seek an interpretation of what just happened. I’m a law-abiding citizen,” she added.

As of the time of filing this report, the Senate leadership had not issued any statement on Tuesday’s standoff at the National Assembly.

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