Betty Akeredolu celebrates Natasha’s return, says Senate pushed her to the wall

By Boye Oyeyemi –

A former First Lady of Ondo State, Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, has said the Senate leadership boxed Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan into a corner and forced her to take desperate actions before her eventual return to the Red Chamber.

Anyanwu-Akeredolu, in a piece on Substack and shared on Facebook, recalled that the lawmaker was “illegally suspended, denied her right to resume after her suspension elapsed, subjected to recall attempts, and smeared in the media” in what she described as a calculated attempt to silence her.

She, however, noted that Natasha “refused to bow”, adding that her return signified victory and resilience.

She said the reopening of her office and the crowd that received her underscored the people’s recognition of her courage.

The former First Lady also praised the presence of activist Mama Pee at the resumption, describing it as historic.

According to her, Mama Pee symbolised “every Nigerian woman who has ever stood up to power and said: enough is enough.”

Anyanwu-Akeredolu lamented women’s under-representation in politics, pointing out that only four of the 109 senators are women, while fewer than 20 of the 360 House of Representatives members are female.

She argued that Natasha’s survival was not just a personal triumph but an inspiration to women and girls across the country, stressing the need for systemic reforms, including reserved seats for women in the legislature.