‎Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Resumes Senate Duties After Six-Month Suspension

‎Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Resumes Senate Duties After Six-Month Suspension

By Abiola Adigun
Albarka 89.9 FM

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, on Tuesday made a dramatic return to the Senate chamber, ending a six-month suspension that a court recently described as “excessive and unjustified.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan arrived at the Red Chamber at exactly 11:42 a.m., smiling as she took her seat and exchanged pleasantries with a few colleagues. The senator was accompanied by a small group of activists and loyalists, including human rights advocate Aisha Yesufu, who was spotted in the visitors’ gallery. However, several of her supporters were reportedly denied access to the gallery.
Her resumption follows a court ruling that faulted the Senate’s decision to suspend her for six months over allegations of misconduct. The court described the sanction as disproportionate, clearing the way for the senator’s reinstatement.
Before her return, the Senate had quietly unsealed her office, reversing its earlier stance that she remained suspended due to pending litigation.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension, which took effect on March 6, 2025, stemmed from her public allegations of sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio — a claim that has fueled months of controversy within the National Assembly.
During her suspension, the Kogi Central lawmaker was stripped of her security detail and legislative entitlements, including access to her office and allowances.
Her reappearance in the chamber is being seen by observers as both a personal victory and a test of the Senate’s internal accountability mechanisms.
Neither Akpoti-Uduaghan nor the Senate leadership made immediate public statements following her return.