In a powerful regional intervention, Hon. Fatoumatta Njai, a female member of the National Assembly of The Gambia, has called on the Nigerian Senate to immediately reinstate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan following what Njai describes as an unlawful six-month suspension.
Njai, who also chairs the Gender and Children’s Welfare Committee of the Gambia Parliament and serves in the Pan-African Parliament, underscored her position as one of only three female legislators in her national assembly. In a letter dated 9th September 2025 to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, she positioned herself as “the lone voice of female representatives in the subregion.”
“Today it is the distinguished senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, tomorrow it could be me. I believe that after the six months of unlawful suspension, she must be reinstated with immediate effect,” Njai wrote.
She cited the 4th July 2025 ruling of Hon. Justice B.F.M. Nyako, which declared the six-month suspension excessive and in violation of Section 63 of the 1999 Constitution.
“On the suspension matter, the court held that to suspend a member for a period of 6 months equals to a suspension for 180 days and this is the same number of days a member is expected to sit in the House, representing his people and that the court found excessive and overreaching, noting that it will prevent a member from complying with Section 63 of the 1999 Constitution,” she noted.
Njai sharply criticized the Senate for defying the court ruling, stating:
“The Senate, the second arm of Federal Republic as well as the legislature arm, should have been seen to adhere and respect the court’s judgment. However, it blatantly refused to obey. I call the attention of the Senate that in law, one must obey orders and then challenge a court order if need arose.”
She condemned the continued barring of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan from Senate proceedings:
“Irrespective of this principle, the Senate refused the Distinguished Senator admission to the premises on the 22nd July 2025. In the same regard, the Senate in total disregard of its own Standing Orders has now extended the unlawful suspension beyond the stipulated six months. This is a total affront to the rule of law and disregard to the court ruling of the same court the Senate is relying on to extend the suspension.”
Njai framed the suspension as a broader threat to democratic representation and women’s leadership:
“The fact that Senator Natasha’s only crime was to speak truth to power is a strong signal of the Senate’s move in silencing dissenting voices. Senator Natasha represents not only her constituents but also the hopes of millions of women and youth not only in Nigeria but the world at large, women and youths who believe in justice, transparency, and equal representation.”
She urged the Nigerian Senate to set a regional example in line with ECOWAS principles:
“Her continued exclusion from the Senate is not only an affront to her rights but a denial of the democratic principles that bind Nigeria as a nation. As the largest country in the ECOWAS, Nigeria must take the role of parent nation and set a good example at ECOWAS level.”
Concluding her appeal, Njai emphasized the urgency of immediate action:
“The six months is over and as a woman in leadership, a woman that respects the rule of law, a woman that believes in the empowerment, the protection of the rights of women and most importantly, a woman that yearns for more women representation in elective positions, I firmly call on the immediate recall of the Senator as I believe that justice delayed is justice denied. Senator Natasha must be allowed to resume her duties immediately without any further delay. Nigeria needs all its voices at the table, especially those that dare to challenge the status quo and stand for her fundamental human right. Let us not be silent when injustice speaks the loudest. Let us stand for what is right. I hereby submit my demands.”
The letter was copied to all Nigerian Senators, members of international institutions, and the diplomatic corps, highlighting Njai’s call for regional attention and accountability.
