Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have disassembled supporters of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, as they attempted to gain access into the National Assembly Complex.
According to reports, the protesters converged at the assembly gate as early as 8:00 am, coinciding with the resumption of plenary and the scheduled hearing of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.
It was gathered that police officers deployed tear gas to disperse the crowd, citing the need to prevent a potential breakdown of law and order.
The protesters are said to have now relocated to the Unity Fountain in Abuja to continue their demonstration.
The protest follows heightened tensions arising from a February 20, 2025 clash between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio over seating arrangements in the Senate chamber.
The altercation led to her referral to the Senate’s ethics committee.
Last Friday, Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of sexual harassment and claimed she was being targeted because she rejected his advances — an allegation that has further fueled public scrutiny.
In a related development, an Abuja Federal High Court has issued an interim order stopping the Senate Ethics Committee from proceeding with its planned investigation of the actions of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, effectively pausing the committee’s deliberations.
The court presided by Justice Obiora Egwuatu gave the order on Tuesday following an ex parte application filed by counsels to Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central.
The ruling comes as the committee was set to convene and potentially impose an indefinite suspension on the senator.
This interim order bars all proceedings on the matter pending further judicial review.
It would be recalled that on February 20, 2025, during a Senate session, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan discovered that her seat had been reassigned without prior notice.
Interpreting this as an attempt to demean her visibility and stifle her contributions, she refused to occupy the new seat.
Chief Whip Tahir Monguno cited Senate rules to justify the reassignment, explaining that changes were necessary due to shifts in party affiliations among senators.
Despite this, Akpoti-Uduaghan stood her ground, leading to a heated exchange with Senate President Akpabio, who directed the sergeant-at-arms to enforce the seating arrangement.
Following the seating arrangement tussle, the Senate unanimously voted to refer Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for a disciplinary review.
The committee, chaired by Senator Neda Imaseun, was tasked with submitting its findings within two weeks.
Consequently, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a N100 billion defamation lawsuit against Senate President Akpabio and his aide, Mfon Patrick. The suit alleged that a Facebook post authored by Patrick, at Akpabio’s behest, contained defamatory remarks about her, including comments on her legislative competence and personal appearance.
The lawsuit seeks damages and a public apology, claiming the publication harmed her reputation and subjected her to public ridicule.
