TUE SEPT 09 2025-theGBJournal| The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), on Tuesday sent a combative request to the Senate President Mr Godswill Akpabio and Nigeria’s Senate, insisting they must immediately allow Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to resume her legislative duties as indicated in her letter to the clerk of the National Assembly.
The non-profit organization said in their statement to the Senate, that Senate cannot use the pending case(s) in court as a pretext to prevent Mrs Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from resuming legislative duties.
”This is antithetical to the fundamental notion of the rule of law. There is no law in Nigeria that prevents the resumption of her legislative duties pending the hearing and determination of the case(s) in court. This travesty of justice must END,” SERAP insisted.
The Senate had on Thursday last week rejected Akpoti-Uduaghan’s request to return to the Red Chamber after the expiration of her suspension following her scathing accusations against the Senate President.
The Senate rejection was in response to a letter to the Clerk to the National Assembly from Senator Natasha in which she stated her intention to resume senate duties explaining that the suspension period imposed on her by the senate expires on the 4th of September.
But the acting clerk to the National assembly, said he was directed to inform Senator Natasha that the suspension will be reviewed as soon as the judicial process on the matter is concluded.”
Her attempt to gain access into the complex on 21st July 2025, was unsuccessful as she was denied entry by national assembly security operatives.
”Mr Godswill Akpabio and the Senate must immediately honour Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s letter notifying the clerk to the national assembly of her intention to resume on September 4, the date she said marked the end of her six-month suspension,” SERAP told the Senators.
According to the SERAP, ”The Senate should not continue to punish Mrs Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan solely for the peaceful exercise of her constitutionally and internationally recognized right to freedom of expression.
The Senate must allow her to resume her legislative duties and pay her salary and allowances for the duration of the suspension.
Preventing her to resume her legislative duties is a blatant disregard of the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international human rights obligations including under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state party.
No one should ever be punished for ‘speaking without permission’. Being a senator does not deprive Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan of her fundamental human rights.
The Senate should be setting an example by upholding the rule of law and promoting and protecting fundamental human rights, not stamping them out.
A higher degree of tolerance is expected when it is a political speech and an even higher threshold is required when it is directed towards government officials including members of the Senate.”
Senator Natasha was suspended for six months on the 6th of March 2025 as recommended by the senate committee on ethics privileges and public petition for violating senate standing rules with regards to sitting arrangement in the senate chamber.
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