…Warns of ‘democratic anarchy’
The Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), has warned that the continued barring of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from her legislative duties by the Senate leadership amounts to “a descent into dictatorship” and a “direct assault on Nigerian democracy”.
In a strongly-worded statement on Wednesday, the NLC accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of leading “a brazen, premeditated assault on democracy itself, a direct threat to the social contract, and a dangerous slide towards fascism masquerading as governance”.
The labour body faulted the Senate’s refusal to reinstate Akpoti-Uduaghan despite a court ruling voiding her suspension and the expiration of the 6-month penalty. It described the upper chamber’s insistence that the matter remains sub judice as “a frivolous technicality” and “the height of legislative bad faith”.
“By willfully disenfranchising an entire senatorial district, the Senate is effectively stealing the political representation for which the people pay taxes”, the NLC said. “It signals to all Nigerians that their votes are meaningless and can be invalidated by the whims of tyrannical leadership”.
The NLC warned that denying the Kogi-Central senator access to the National Assembly undermines lawmaking, oversight, and resource allocation for her constituents, while sending a dangerous message of exclusion and impunity.
According to the labour movement, the move is a “test-run for the emasculation of opposition and subjugation of the sovereign will” ahead of the 2027 elections.
The NLC vowed to resist what it termed an attempt to silence dissent, promising to mobilise its members nationwide if the Senate leadership persists in sidelining Akpoti-Uduaghan.
“A Senate that operates as a court in its matter, suspends members, and then ignores the expiry of its own sanctions, has declared war on representative democracy,” the statement added. “An attack on one senator today is an attack on the sovereignty of every Nigerian voter tomorrow”.
