Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan remains barred from Senate despite completing her six-month suspension, as her case is still pending at the Court of Appeal.
The National Assembly has maintained that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, cannot resume her duties at the Senate even though her six-month suspension has expired.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had formally written to the leadership of the legislature, informing them of her intention to return to the Red Chamber following the expiration of her suspension which commenced on March 6, 2025.
She argued that she was entitled to immediately resume legislative functions since the punitive measure had run its course.
However, in a letter responding to her request, the Acting Clerk to the National Assembly, Yahaya Danzaria, explained that the matter surrounding her suspension was still the subject of litigation and therefore remains unresolved.
He stressed that the case was presently before the Court of Appeal, and until the judicial process is concluded, the Senate cannot take any administrative or procedural action to reinstate her.
The Clerk’s letter partly read: “The subject matter of your suspension is presently before the Court of Appeal.
“The matter therefore remains sub judice and until the judicial process is completed, and the Senate formally reviews the suspension in the light of the court’s pronouncement, no administrative action can be taken by this office to facilitate your resumption. You will be duly notified of the Senate’s decision on the matter as soon as it is resolved.”
This is not the first time the embattled senator has faced resistance in her bid to return to office.
On July 12, 2025, shortly after a Federal High Court judgment directed the Senate to review her suspension, she attempted to resume plenary duties but was prevented from gaining access into the National Assembly complex.
The National Assembly, however, contested parts of that judgment, while Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan also filed her own appeal, leaving the matter pending before the Court of Appeal. The appellate court is yet to deliver a ruling, effectively putting her status in limbo.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended following a heated confrontation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio during a plenary session over seat allocation.
The dispute quickly escalated into a political and personal battle after she publicly accused the Senate President of sexual harassment and alleged that she was being persecuted for refusing his advances.
The controversy generated intense reactions both within and outside the National Assembly, with rights groups and women’s organizations calling for an independent probe into her allegations and describing her suspension as politically motivated.
For now, the legislative seat representing Kogi Central remains effectively vacant on the Senate floor, leaving the district without representation at plenary.
The prolonged legal battle highlights the increasing tension between parliamentary authority and judicial intervention in disciplinary matters affecting lawmakers.
The case has set a precedent that could shape the extent of the Senate’s disciplinary powers, especially when disciplinary measures clash with allegations of abuse of office and personal misconduct at the highest levels of legislative leadership.
Until the Court of Appeal delivers judgment and the Senate reviews its decision in line with the court’s pronouncement, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s return to the upper chamber remains uncertain.
