Aisha Yesufu Backs Natasha Against Senate

Prominent activist Aisha Yesufu has thrown her full support behind Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who remains resolute in her decision to resume her legislative duties on Tuesday, July 22, despite resistance from the Senate.

Yesufu, speaking on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, declared that she would stand by the Kogi Central senator as she attempts to return to the Red Chamber, following a court ruling which nullified her suspension.

“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,” Yesufu said.

“We’ll be with her and stand with her. And if the Senate decides they are going to kill us, let them kill us.”

Condemning the treatment of women in Nigerian politics, Yesufu expressed outrage over what she called deliberate and systemic marginalization.

“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 said.

Yesufu described the senator’s suspension as unlawful and in defiance of the rule of law.

“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,” she stated.

“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.”

She further accused the Senate of ignoring judicial directives and took a swipe at the judiciary, alleging it has become compromised.

“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,” she said.

Meanwhile, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has restated her intention to return to the Senate, despite an appeal filed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio challenging the Federal High Court’s ruling.

Speaking on Saturday in her hometown of 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.”

While she has continued outreach activities in her constituency, Akpoti-Uduaghan explained that her suspension had severely limited her participation in legislative responsibilities such as bill sponsorship and floor debates.

In July, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that the senator’s suspension was unconstitutional and directed her reinstatement. However, the Senate President’s legal counsel has filed an appeal, arguing that the ruling interferes with legislative affairs and exceeds the court’s jurisdiction, citing Section 251 of the 1999 Constitution.

Despite this, Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu on Sunday maintained that Akpoti-Uduaghan should not return to the chamber, asserting there was no binding court order requiring her reinstatement before the six-month suspension ends.

The Senate had suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan on March 6, 2025, following allegations of rule violations and a heated incident involving seating arrangements. The controversy also involved her accusation of sexual misconduct against Senate President Akpabio—an allegation he has since denied.