Nigeria’s Political Crisis Escalates: Suspensions of Opposition Figures- Natasha Akpoti- Uduaghan and Siminalayi Fubara Ignite Fury
posted 19th March 2025
Nigeria’s Political Crisis Escalates: Suspensions of Opposition Figures- Natasha Akperi- Uduaghan and Siminalayi Fubara Ignite Fury
18 March 2025 – Abuja, Nigeria
Nigeria’s political scene has descended into chaos as allegations of orchestrated dishonesty and authoritarian tactics by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) gain traction. The recent suspensions of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, a key People’s Democratic Party (PDP) senator, and Siminalayi Fubara, the PDP Governor of Rivers State, have exposed what critics call a brazen assault on opposition voices. With the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and judiciary widely viewed as corrupt and ineffective, the APC appears to be wielding extralegal suspensions to crush its rivals.
The controversy erupted with the six-month suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, on 6 March 2025. Labelled as punishment for “gross misconduct” after a row over seating arrangements, her banishment followed her public allegations of sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The PDP and activists have slammed the move as a sham designed to silence a fearless critic, with Akpoti-Uduaghan pledging to fight what she brands an “illegal” outrage.
Now, the regime has set its sights on Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State. His proposed suspension, widely seen as retribution for his rift with APC heavyweight Nyesom Wike, has deepened suspicions of a coordinated effort to dismantle PDP strongholds. Unable to fully control elections through INEC or secure judicial backing, the APC is accused of resorting to desperate measures to cling to power.
To suspend Governor Fubara, the APC needs a two-thirds majority in both chambers of the National Assembly, per Nigeria’s Constitution. In the Senate, this means 72 of 109 votes. With only 59 APC senators, the regime is 13 short and must persuade at least 13 of the PDP’s 37 senators to join its cause. In the House of Representatives, the APC holds 175 seats but requires 240—necessitating 65 PDP representatives to back the suspension for it to succeed.
Analysts doubt the PDP will fold so easily. “The APC is playing a dangerous game,” said Dr. Amina Yusuf, a political scientist in Abuja. “It’s lost credibility with INEC and the courts, so it’s pushing this absurd suspension plot. But convincing 13 PDP senators and 65 reps to betray their party? That’s a tall order.” The PDP’s response remains uncertain, though its base is clamouring for defiance.
Social media reflects the mounting tension, with X users questioning whether PDP lawmakers will “join APC to approve this nonsense” or “betray Simi Fubara for national interest.” The party’s leadership has yet to signal its next move, but the pressure is on to resist what many see as a democratic travesty.
The APC, meanwhile, defends its actions as lawful. Senate Majority Leader Opeyemi Bamidele insists Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension upholds parliamentary decorum, while Fubara’s allies in the regime claim his governance violates constitutional standards. Critics dismiss these excuses, pointing to a pattern of targeting PDP figures while sparing APC loyalists.
The implications are staggering. Rivers State, a linchpin of Nigeria’s oil economy, hangs in the balance, and Fubara’s removal could hand the APC a strategic victory in the Niger Delta. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension, meanwhile, has rallied women’s groups and opposition supporters, framing her as a symbol of resistance against a repressive regime.
As Nigeria braces for this showdown, global eyes are fixed on Abuja. The APC’s tactics evoke memories of military rule, a charge it denies but cannot escape. Whether the PDP stands firm or fractures under pressure, the nation’s democracy teeters on the edge of a precipice.
