The lawmaker representing Kogi Central, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has said that the fear of political persecution prevented many of her colleagues in the Senate from publicly identifying with her during her suspension.
Naijaonpoint reports that the lawmaker stated this on Sunday in Okene, during the inauguration of a new market in her constituency.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was recently reinstated after her controversial suspension, said that although several senators reached out privately to express solidarity, they avoided public association due to fear of political consequences.
She said, “When a government official faces challenges, isolation comes naturally.
“Even when people are sympathetic, they are afraid to associate with you openly for fear of being castigated or persecuted. Many senators stood by me quietly; they called, they visited, but in public, they couldn’t show it. I’m not offended by that.”
The Kogi lawmaker described her suspension as illegal, saying it revealed how fear and intimidation have become entrenched in Nigeria’s political and institutional culture.
Akpoti-Uduaghan also said the suspension had a negative impact on her constituency projects, noting that contractors handling the projects faced delays and political interference.
She stated, “The 2025 budget only became active during the course of my illegal suspension.
“A number of contractors struggled to get their award letters because the projects were allocated to Kogi Central. It wasn’t easy getting these awards and commencing construction because of politics.”
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