The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has issued a sharp rebuke to the Senate over its continued refusal to reinstate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, calling the move a “brazen assault on democracy” that threatens the integrity of Nigeria’s representative system.
In a statement on Thursday, NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, accused the upper chamber, led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, of abandoning democratic norms for political expediency.
He said suspending a duly elected senator and silencing her constituents was “already a travesty,” but to ignore a court ruling voiding that suspension and continue the exclusion after its six-month term expired was “a flagrant abuse of power.”
“This action insults the people of Kogi Central and every Nigerian who believes their vote should matter,” Ajaero declared.
He dismissed the Senate’s claim that the matter remains sub judice, describing it as “a flimsy legal pretext to muzzle dissent, intimidate opposition, and weaponise procedure against the very democracy senators swore to defend.”
Ajaero warned that the Senate’s stance erodes public trust: “This behavior diminishes the Senate’s credibility, undermines the rule of law, and sends a chilling message that democracy can be suspended at the whim of those in power. This is not about one senator—it’s about the rights of millions of Nigerians.”
The labour leader suggested the move could be a “dress rehearsal for silencing integrity ahead of the 2027 elections,” and urged the National Assembly leadership to act swiftly to repair the damage.
“We call on the Senate to restore Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s rights and uphold the principles of representative democracy,” Ajaero said. “Nigerians will not stand by while democratic values are trampled. The labour movement, true to its historic duty, will rally its members and moral weight to defend the sovereignty of the people.”
He concluded with a warning: “An injustice to one representative today is a warning to every voter tomorrow. The NLC will not allow Nigeria’s democracy to be cannibalised under the guise of procedure.”