Police officers deployed tear gas on Wednesday morning to disperse supporters of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan who had gathered at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
The protesters arrived at the assembly gate as early as 8 a.m., ahead of the resumption of plenary, to show solidarity with the senator representing Kogi Central.
However, security personnel swiftly moved in, firing tear gas canisters to prevent them from accessing the complex.
Following the police action, the demonstrators relocated to the Unity Fountain, a known venue for protests in the capital.
The protest follows recent tensions between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio over a seating arrangement dispute on February 20, which led to her referral to the Senate’s disciplinary panel.
In response, the senator filed a N100 billion defamation lawsuit against Akpabio.
Last Friday, she further alleged that the Senate President was targeting her because she had rejected his sexual advances.
Akpoti-Uduaghan has been invited to appear before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions at 2 p.m. today.
