Senator Natasha To Husband: “My Love, I Pray All Men Support Their Wives Like You”

By Adesina Soyooye

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, began her first day in office after her six months suspension from the Senate by paying a glowing tribute to her husband, High Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan.

“My husband, my love”, she began, “if you see this, I love you dearly. In short, I pray all men support their wives the way you have supported me.”

The Senator was suspended by the Senate for six months over what was termed a misconduct which started gradually with her disagreement over sitting arrangement, and blossomed into an unprecedented  crisis which then descended into serious allegations against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and a number of legal suits.

On Tuesday, September 23, 2025, when Akpoti-Uduaghan finally assessed her office after it was unsealed, the initial refusal to do so notwithstanding, she told the story of the ordeal she passed through in the past six months, and the obstacles she overcame.

Accompanied by a huge crowd, including some members of her Constituency, Kogi Central, who came all the way to Abuja, she also paid tribute to some individuals and organizations who stood by her – former Minister Oby Ezekwesili,  Aisha Yesufu, Peter Obi, Femi Falana, SAN,  former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, the Nigeria Labour Congress, Nigerian Bar Association, the Peoples Democratic Party, the African Democratic Congress, her Constituency which stood by her, among others. She attributed her recall to the pressure on the Leadership of the Senate by the people and groups and described her ordeal as “a test of Nigeria’s democratic institutions and a fight against injustice.”

Her words: “In retrospect, it is truly amazing how much we have had to face to survive. From the unjust suspension to the recall attempt, we pulled through. We survived the blockade of roads and waterways into Kogi when I had to fly in a helicopter. We survived the blackmail from the so-called crazy lady om Facebook.

“Senator Akpabio is not more of a Senator than I am. He is not a Governor of this place. Yet, he treated me as if I was a servant or a domestic staff in his house. After so many years of democracy, it is unacceptable that the National Assembly is run in such a way.

“Not a single day (during her suspension) did I hesitate in effectively carrying out my duties. I kept looking for opportunities – bringing infrastructure, projects and jobs to my people – so they would not suffer the neglect created by this injustice. I think the Senate President realized he just couldn’t continue on that part.

“You know, it’s amazing what we had to survive, and I give God Almighty the glory and my deepest appreciation to the good people of Kogi Central, Kogi State, and Nigeria at large.

“My husband, my love, if you see this, l love you dearly. In short, I pray all men support their wives the way you have supported me. And, my children, thank you for your sacrifices.

“So, in everything, it just shows that sometimes, it’s good to put institutions to test. We can’t cower down in the face of injustice. No one is more Nigerian than us.

“It is very unfortunate that at this time, after so many years of democracy, we would have a National Assembly being run by such dictatorship. It’s totally unacceptable.

“As for me, I’m glad to be here, and even though we have been illegally suspended, no day have I hesitated in effectively carrying out my duties as a Senator of Kogi Central to the best  of my capacity.

“So, I thank people like Auntie Oby Ezekwesili, Sister Aisha, Mama P, Peter the Rock, and there are many others. Dr. Abiola, Yemi of Enough of Enough, Uncle Femi Falana and many Nigerians I can’t even call. His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, His Excellency Saraki.

“I mean, many people who have lent their voices. Thank you. And even Political Parties – Labour Party, ADC. I saw their statements, and my beloved PDP. Thank you so much for standing up. Nigerian Bar Association, Nigerian Labour Congress. I mean, a whole lot of voices. It just pulled through.

“And I think that’s the pressure that the Senate President saw and realized that: you know what, he just can’t.”

A couple of cases are still in Court. The Senator has not apologized as ordered by one Court ruling, saying on Tuesday, that she had no such words in her.

Not a few people are looking forward to see how things would go on the first day of Plenary when the Senate resumes – fully.