CSO defends NLC’s support for lawmaker
National Assembly Complex entrance gates in Abuja were yesterday manned by armed security operatives amid fears that suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan might attempt to force her way into the complex.
Eyewitnesses reported “fierce-looking” guards stationed at every gate in what many described as the heaviest security presence since lawmakers began their yearly recess.
Staff and visitors were screened as leadership tried to prevent an open confrontation.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, has been locked in a bitter standoff with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over her six-month suspension, which she insists expired on September 4.
She accused Akpabio of denying her constituents representation by blocking her return.
But in a statement signed by the Director of Information, Bullah Audu Bi-Allah, the Office of the Clerk to the National Assembly insisted it lacked the power to reinstate her without explicit direction from either the Senate or the courts.
The statement read: “The matter remains sub judice, and any change in her status must either arise from a fresh Senate resolution or a definitive court order. The clerk is not in a position to facilitate her resumption,” the statement read.
Yesterday’s security lockdown underscored the rising stakes as lawmakers privately admitted the extraordinary measures aimed to prevent a showdown.
Political analysts warn the saga risks deepening Senate divisions and undermining public confidence in legislative independence.
MEANWHILE, a civil society organisation, Gatekeepers of Democracy (GOD), has defended the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over its stance on the ongoing political issues surrounding Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and the leadership of the Senate.
In a statement signed by its National Convener, Umar Kaltungo, the group maintained that the NLC had a legitimate role in commenting on political developments, particularly when such issues affect workers and national interest.
“The struggle for democracy is also a workers’ struggle. You cannot reclaim economic rights without first safeguarding political rights,” the statement read.
The group argued that attempts to limit labour’s advocacy to only industrial matters would weaken democratic engagement and diminish workers’ voices in governance.
Kaltungo added that the suspension of elected representatives had broader implications for both democratic accountability and economic justice, noting that organised labour had historically stood at the forefront of democratic reforms.
He commended the NLC for its recent interventions on issues such as pension reforms and workers’ welfare, urging it to remain steadfast in defending both economic rights and democratic values.
