Natasha Akpoti’s supporters chased out of NASS gate with tear gas

Protesters who are supporters of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) on their way to the Mopol gate of the National Assembly were chased away from the Arcade, opposite the Eagle Square.

The protesters, who were waiting for the arrival of others to enable them converge on the entrance of the National Assembly, were dispersed with tear gas canisters from security men who were not in uniforms to ascertain whether they were policemen or soldiers.

The protesters started arriving at past 9 am for demonstration ahead of the resumption of Wednesday’s plenary.

The crowd has now moved to the parking place of the three arms buses to re-strategise for the protest.

The protesters, made up of members of civil society groups of Nigeria, later reconvened carrying placards with inscriptions, “Akpabio must go,” “We stand with Senator Natasha,” “Akpabio is anti-North.”

At the entrance of the National Assembly gate, they were singing and dancing and demanding that Senator Godswill Akpabio step down so that a proper investigation into Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations could be conducted.

Akpoti-Uduaghan last week clashed with Akpabio over seating arrangement. She later accused him of sexual harassment.

The Kogi Central lawmaker was thereafter referred to the Senate’s Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions chaired by Senator Neda Imaseun (LP, Edo South).