The Senate has reopened the office of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central), granting her access to the National Assembly premises. The Sergeant-at-Arms, alongside security operatives, unsealed her Office 205 in the Senate wing.
This move signals the possibility of the suspended senator resuming her legislative duties when the Senate reconvenes on October 7, 2025. Sources disclosed that the decision followed a leadership meeting of the Senate, where it was agreed that Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South) would move a motion requiring her to tender an apology before full reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, was suspended for six months in March 2025 over alleged misconduct after she protested the reassignment of her seat by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Though her suspension lapsed in September, she faced continued resistance from Senate leadership and legal hurdles.
In July, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja, described the six-month suspension as excessive and unconstitutional, ordering her recall on the grounds that prolonged suspension denied her constituents representation. However, the Senate maintained that she must serve out the full suspension period.
The Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Kamorudeen Ogunlana, previously communicated through Acting CNA Yahaya Danzaria that her suspension remained in force pending a Court of Appeal ruling. In September, her counsel, Michael Jonathan Numa, SAN, wrote to the CNA, warning that failure to reinstate her by September 15 could trigger contempt proceedings and other legal actions.
Responding, Ogunlana stressed that his office lacks the authority to override Senate resolutions, emphasizing that the question of her resumption rests solely with the Senate. A statement signed by the CNA’s Director of Information, Bullah Audu Bi-Allah, reiterated that only a fresh Senate resolution can determine if Akpoti-Uduaghan resumes unconditionally.
