Armed police personnel on Tuesday mounted a security cordon at all entry points to the National Assembly complex, preventing the suspended senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, from entering the complex.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and a group of her supporters appeared at the assembly complex at 12.27 pm in an attempt to resume her duties at the Senate.
The presence of the senator and her supporters at the protest caused traffic gridlock within the vicinity of the parliament building for about two hours.
She was accompanied by human rights activist Aisha Yesufu, her lawyers, aides and supporters.
The Kogi central lawmaker was, on March 6, suspended by the Senate for six months. The six-month suspension is expected to expire on September 5.
But the senator, acting on a recent ruling of a federal high court, which ruled that the suspension period was excessive, decided to resume on Tuesday.
She blamed the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, for not allowing her access to the parliament building to attend the plenary session and to enter her office.
Speaking with journalists outside the national assembly’s main gate, Natasha said it was illegal and unconstitutional for the Senate to deny her entry.
She also said the legislative house trampled on the rule of law and infringed on her constitutional rights.
Blaming Akpabio mainly for being behind the blockade, the Kogi senator restated her position that he was not afraid of Akpabio.
Details later…
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