Senate Crisis Signals Deeper Divides: Kogi Group Urges Healing, Not Punishment

***Calls for Senate to Embrace Dialogue in Natasha-Akpabio Fallout
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
In the wake of growing national concerns over internal fractures in Nigeria’s legislative leadership, a prominent socio-political group in Kogi State has called for reconciliation, warning that punitive actions such as the suspension of Senator Natasha Apoti-Uduaghan risk deepening division and undermining inclusive governance.
The AT Ahmed Consultative Forum made the appeal during a media briefing in Lokoja, urging the Nigerian Senate to look beyond personalities and politics to safeguard the democratic institution from further erosion.
Coordinator of the group, Hon. Idris Anako, said the recent suspension of Senator Apoti-Uduaghan following a clash with Senate President Godswill Akpabio reflects an urgent need for introspection within the upper legislative chamber.
“This is not just about Natasha or Akpabio,” Anako stated. “It is about the message we send to the Nigerian people when internal disagreements are met with exclusion instead of engagement. Punishment should never replace dialogue in a democracy.”
He emphasized that the suspension has inadvertently silenced the Ebira geopolitical community, whose representation in the Senate now hangs in limbo at a critical time for policy and development interventions.
“Senator Apoti-Uduaghan is not only a voice for her people but a symbol of rising female leadership and grassroots development. Her contributions to infrastructure and empowerment cannot be ignored,” Anako said.
The group stressed that institutional credibility and national cohesion are better preserved through inclusive conflict resolution mechanisms than public sanctions that may appear politically motivated.
“We are calling on the Senate to show maturity and leadership by waiving the suspension and opening the door for reconciliation. Nigeria needs unity now more than ever,” Anako concluded.