Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Returns to Senate After Six-Month Suspension
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central has officially resumed her legislative duties at the National Assembly. Her return on Tuesday marked a significant turn in what has been one of the most controversial episodes of Nigeria’s 10th Senate.
The Senator’s office located in Suite 2.05 of the Senate Wing was unsealed by the National Assembly’s Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms, Alabi Adedeji, in a symbolic moment captured on video. Yet, the symbolism went beyond the unlocking of a door; it also represented the reopening of a contentious chapter in Nigeria’s legislative politics.
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Questions Legitimacy of Senate Leadership’s Conditions
“I have resumed work, but I must state clearly that I have not been officially informed regarding the reopening of my office,” Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan told reporters. “The last correspondence I received from the Clerk of the National Assembly stated that I would not be allowed access due to a pending matter at the Court of Appeal.”
The lawmaker, however, made it clear that her return was on her own terms. She dismissed reports that her reinstatement came with conditions most notably, a request that she issue a public apology to Senate leadership.
“Apologise for what, exactly?” she queried. “You cannot apologise for an injustice.”
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Suspension Sparked National Debate
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension in March 2025 followed a dramatic standoff on the Senate floor. The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, had reassigned her seating position a move she strongly contested. What began as a procedural dispute soon escalated into a war of words, culminating in the Senate imposing a six-month suspension on the Kogi lawmaker for alleged misconduct.
The situation became further complicated when Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that the suspension was politically motivated and based on “fraudulent documents” originating from the Senate President’s office. She later took the matter to court, and in July, the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled in her favour, describing the suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional.”
Legal Roadblocks Delayed Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Full Return
Despite the court ruling, the Senate leadership maintained that she could not resume duties due to an appeal filed at the Court of Appeal. This led to months of back-and-forth between legal teams, the Senate bureaucracy, and civil society organisations demanding her reinstatement.
Throughout her suspension, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan remained vocal both online and offline calling out what she termed a “culture of impunity” within the Senate. She spoke of attempts to recall her, alleged blackmail campaigns, and even physical obstructions in her home state that at one point required her to travel by helicopter.
“I give God Almighty the glory and my deepest appreciation to the people of Kogi Central and Nigerians at large,” she said in an emotional message. “To my husband, I love you dearly. I pray all men support their wives in the same manner you have supported me.”
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Vows to Fight Injustice in Senate
Her return comes just days before the Senate is scheduled to reconvene for plenary on October 7, following a two-week extension of its annual recess. Whether she will be allowed to take her seat alongside her colleagues remains unclear, but the senator is undeterred.
“If apology is the price for reopening my office, then we have a long dance ahead. But let it be clear: no one is above the law not even the Senate President,” she said.
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Comeback Raises Questions on Power and Gender
As the National Assembly prepares to return to business, Senator Natasha’s re-entry is likely to spark new debates on the balance between institutional discipline and individual rights within Nigeria’s legislative process. It also raises questions about the treatment of women in politics and the limits of parliamentary authority.
For now, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has made her stance known she’s back, unapologetic, and ready to work.
