 Bidwell was nominated to serve in the National Assembly in 2002 by Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction, and she went on to become the deputy speaker.In April 2006, following an attempted coup d'etat in March, Speaker Sheriff Mustapha Dibba was arrested and removed from his position for alleged involvement, and Bidwell became speaker.Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay replaced Bidwell as speaker in February 2007, Bidwell died of a heart attack in April 2007.