Pan-African Parliamentarian and former ECOWAS Parliament member Fatoumatta Njai has described as “quite disheartening” the numerous struggles faced by women in Nigeria’s Senate. Her remarks came in response to the case of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who has been prevented from returning to the Senate despite her six-month suspension having expired.
Speaking on Arise Television on Wednesday, Njai challenged the Senate’s rationale that “matter being sub judice should not stop Senator Natasha from going back after serving her suspension for six months.” She argued that pending legal proceedings should not block an individual from resuming duties once a sanction has been fully served.
Reflecting on broader gender issues in Nigerian politics, Njai noted that “I know the struggles and the hurdles that women parliamentarians go through to be elected, let alone going to serve and having been denied that opportunity to serve.”
The issue arose when the Senate reportedly told Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan on Monday that she could not resume her senatorial duties because of her ongoing court case, despite her having completed her suspension.
