- Safiu Kehinde
The Senate has on Tuesday denied suspended Kogi lawmaker, Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan entry into the red chamber following her arrival at the National Assembly.
NPO Reported that the lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District had defied the warning of the Senate as she appeared at the National Assembly complex in Abuja alongside her supporters.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had at the weekend announced her planned return to the Senate today in compliance with the Federal High Court ruling which declared her six months suspension unconstitutional and excessive.
The court had ordered the Senate to recall Natasha back to the chamber.
However, the Senate maintained that the lawmaker remains suspended urging her to stay away from the National Assembly premises.
The red chamber in a statement issued on Sunday by Yemi Adaramodu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, clarified that the judgment delivered by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja does not contain a binding directive requiring the upper legislative chamber to end Senator Natasha’s suspension before its expiration.
With Natasha’s dismissal of the warning, the National Assembly on Tuesday mobilised security operatives across the premises of the legislatives chamber.
As captured in series of video shared on X, the NASS complex was heavily guarded with armed personnel and over four patrol vans.
The Kogi lawmaker’s supporters were also spotted around the premises as they await her arrival.
Natasha would shortly arrive at the complex with her convoy and teeming supporters.
The lawmaker’s vehicle was however denied entry into the premises, forcing her to trek from the National Assembly gate to the red chamber with her supporters breeching security barriers.
Accompanied by human right activist, Aisha Yesufu, Natasha made it to entrance of the chamber but was turned back by the National Assembly security officials.
A minor clash erupted between the security personnel and lawmaker’s supporters before she turned back.
Addressing newsmen after the fiasco, Natasha expressed her disappointment with the Senate under the leadership of Sen. Godswill Akpabio.
She accused the Senate President of turning members of the red chamber into lawbreakers.
“It unfortunate that having duly notified the Senate through two letters that I will be resuming functions today. As a matter of fact, I’m disappointed on two grounds.
“One is the number of armed policemen that we met outside, all well-kitted with guns, charged at female Senator who is unarmed with her people here, patriotic Nigerians.
“The second thing is the fact that the Senate under the leadership of Godswill Akpabio have decided to become law breakers by denying me entrance into the chamber to resume my duty.” She said.
Natasha further accused the Senate of twisting the narratives of the court’s judgement which she explained to newsmen.
“There have been some conversations on the media by his own team trying to twist the narratives that the judge did not order my reinstatement, and I’ll like to clarify that.
“Section 318 of the 1999 constitution, it is very clear that decisions of the court come in five ways. It could be in judicial decree; it could be a sentence; it could be an order; it could be a conviction; and it could be a recommendation.
“An order is just one of the five decisions that a judge can pronounce over any case and mine tilts towards a recommendation. Now you would think that the recommendation is voluntary, that means the Senate has either they comply, or they have the right not to comply. I would like to clarify.
“If you go further to section 287, sub-section 3 of the 1999 constitution, it actually specifies in clear terms that any of these five decisions is applicable on any authorities. What that means in simple terms is whether they mention that Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court made an order, or made a sentence, or made a judicial decree or recommendation, however they want to interpret the words, it is still a decision of the court and it is still binding on the National Assembly” She said.