No Resumption Yet, Matter Still in Court, Senate Tells Natasha

No Resumption Yet, Matter Still in Court, Senate Tells Natasha

By Abiola Adigun

The Senate has declared that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, cannot yet resume her legislative duties despite completing what she described as her six-month suspension.
In a letter dated September 4, 2025, and signed by the Acting Clerk to the National Assembly, Dr. Yahaya Danzaria, the Senate acknowledged Akpoti-Uduaghan’s notification of her planned return on the same date but maintained that her case is still before the Court of Appeal.
“The matter remains sub judice, and until the judicial process is concluded, no administrative action can be taken to facilitate your resumption,” the letter stated.
The upper chamber insisted that her suspension, which began on March 6, 2025, following a recommendation of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, will only be reviewed after the appellate court delivers its ruling.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended earlier in the year after she rejected the change of her seat during plenary, an action the Senate described as insubordination. The decision stripped her of official entitlements, including aides, salaries, and office access.
However, the lawmaker has repeatedly argued that her suspension was politically motivated. She alleged that it was linked to her petition accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment—an allegation the Senate dismissed.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan attempted to return to the National Assembly after securing a favourable judgment from a Federal High Court. The move led to a standoff when security operatives prevented her entry despite a show of solidarity from her supporters outside the complex.
Her legal challenge against the Senate has remained unresolved, with the Court of Appeal now handling the matter. The Senate leadership has repeatedly stressed that until the case is determined, she cannot be reinstated.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of the most vocal female lawmakers in the 10th Senate, has maintained that her suspension violated her fundamental rights and undermined the representation of Kogi Central constituents.
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