Police Disperse Pro-Natasha Akpoti Supporters with Tear Gas at National Assembly Gate

Supporters of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan were met with tear gas as police officers moved to prevent them from accessing the National Assembly Complex on Wednesday morning.

The group had gathered at the assembly gate around 8 a.m. ahead of the day’s plenary session. However, security personnel swiftly intervened, deploying tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd. Following the confrontation, the protesters relocated to the Unity Fountain.

The demonstration comes amid an ongoing dispute between Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The tensions began on February 20 after a disagreement over seating arrangements in the Senate chamber, which led to her referral to the Senate’s disciplinary panel.

In response, Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a N100 billion defamation lawsuit against Akpabio. Last week, she further alleged that the Senate President had been targeting her for refusing his sexual advances.

The senator is expected to appear before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions at 2 p.m. today.