Tear Gas Deployed as Supporters Protest Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Senate Dispute
The police officers used tear gas to prevent supporters of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from accessing the National Assembly Complex early Wednesday morning, escalating an ongoing conflict between the senator and Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Protesters gathered at the national assembly gate as early as 8 am, anticipating the resumption of plenary sessions. Law enforcement response was swift and decisive, with police personnel quickly deploying tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd, which subsequently relocated to the Unity Fountain.
The incident is the latest development in a heated dispute that began on February 20, when Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio clashed over seating arrangements. Following this confrontation, the senator was referred to the senate’s disciplinary panel and subsequently filed a N100 billion defamation suit against Akpabio.
The tension reached a new peak last Friday when Akpoti-Uduaghan made serious allegations, accusing Akpabio of maligning and punishing her after she allegedly refused his sexual advances. She was scheduled to appear before the senate committee on ethics, code of conduct and public petitions at 2 pm on the day of the protest.
