The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has berated the Senate for refusing to reinstate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, labeling it a “descent into legislative dictatorship”.
NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero in a statement signed on Thursday, described the Senate’s actions as a “premeditated assault on democracy” and a “dangerous slide towards fascism.”
The controversy started from a six-month suspension imposed on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, which the NLC and others called illegal. Despite the expiration of the suspension and a court ruling voiding it, the Senate has cited a legal technicality to justify preventing her return.
“This is no longer democracy,” Ajaero declared, accusing the Senate of manipulating the judiciary to persecute political opponents. The NLC argues that the continued exclusion of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan deprives the people of Kogi Central of their right to representation, effectively disenfranchising an entire senatorial district.
“By willfully stealing the political representation for which the people pay taxes, the Senate is impoverishing constituents and perpetuating economic injustice,” the statement read.
The NLC further warned that the Senate’s actions are a “calculated test-run” to suppress opposition voices ahead of the 2027 elections, signaling an attempt to “punish integrity” and marginalize principled lawmakers.
The labor union accused the Senate of declaring war on the principles of representative democracy by acting as a court in its own matters and ignoring its own sanctions’ expiration.
The controversy has raised alarm about the state of Nigeria’s democracy, with the NLC vowing to mobilize its membership to resist what it calls a slide into autocracy.
“An attack on one senator today is an attack on the sovereignty of every Nigerian voters tomorrow,” Ajaero stated, calling on Nigerians across ethnic and religious lines to unite against the erosion of democratic norms.
The Senate’s leadership has yet to respond publicly to the NLC’s allegations. Meanwhile, the continued exclusion of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has sparked growing public discontent, with many questioning the National Assembly’s commitment to serving the will of the people.
As tensions rise, the NLC has positioned itself as a defender of democratic values, promising to leverage its immense membership and moral authority to challenge what it sees as a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s political future.
