Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju has condemned the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, calling it a dangerous assault on democracy. He argues that even if her allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio were unfounded, the Senate had a responsibility to investigate rather than suppress them. Instead, the leadership chose to wield power to silence a sitting senator, sending a chilling message about accountability in Nigeria.
Adeyanju also raised serious concerns over due process, pointing out that the chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee had publicly defended Akpabio before presiding over the case. Shockingly, neither Akpoti-Uduaghan nor Akpabio was allowed to appear before the committee, making the entire process deeply flawed. He compared the handling of the case to Nigeria’s electoral irregularities, where decisions are made in secrecy, eroding public trust in institutions meant to uphold justice.
Calling on Akpoti-Uduaghan to challenge her suspension in court, Adeyanju warned that the decision effectively robs the people of Kogi Central of their representation. He insisted that no legislative body should have the power to suppress dissent, as doing so puts the entire nation at risk. If democracy is to survive, Nigeria must resist the growing culture of intimidation, where power is used not for justice but for personal protection.