After serving a six-month suspension, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, is expected to officially resume plenary sessions alongside other lawmakers today (Tuesday).
This development was confirmed by her lawyer, Victor Giwa, who, in an interview, emphasized that the lawmaker had completed her suspension and had the constitutional right to return to her legislative duties.
The Senate, which had initially been scheduled to resume on September 23, postponed its return by two weeks, extending its annual recess to October 7, 2025. The delay also put on hold several pressing national matters awaiting deliberation.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team has cautioned the Senate against any attempt to obstruct her return, warning that doing so would not only be illegal but also contradict the chamber’s own resolutions. Giwa described any move to block her entry as an invitation to “total chaos.”
“To me, our client should just go straight and resume on Tuesday. Anything else they say is just an opinion,” he said. “As Femi Falana pointed out, the Senate cannot become an institution that legalises illegality.”
According to Giwa, the only matter still before the court relates to whether the original suspension in March was lawfully imposed. “It has nothing to do with her resumption,” he added.
The embattled senator was suspended on March 6, 2025, over alleged misconduct following her protest against the reassignment of her seat by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Her office had remained sealed until two weeks ago, when it was reopened by National Assembly security officials.
During her return to the office, Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of dictatorship, asserting, “He is not the governor of this place, yet he treated me as if I were a servant or domestic staff in his house.”
She also reiterated her resolve not to apologise for her actions, stating, “It is actually amazing how much we have had to pay in the past six months, from the unjust suspension to the recall. But we survived the recall, blackmail and that crazy lady on Facebook.”
“In everything, sometimes it is good to push the institution to the test. We can’t cower in the face of injustice. No one is more Nigerian than us,” she added.
As the National Assembly resumes today, all eyes are on the Senate chambers, with the nation watching closely to see whether Akpoti-Uduaghan will be allowed to take her seat—or face further resistance.
Post comments (0)