KEY POINTS
- Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan expected to resume Senate plenary today.
- Her lawyer warns against any move to block her.
- The senator says she has no apology to tender.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is expected to return to plenary today after serving a six-month suspension that has sparked legal battles and public debate over internal accountability in the National Assembly.
Her lawyer, Victor Giwa, confirmed the development in an interview with The PUNCH, saying the lawmaker has fully served her sanction and is constitutionally entitled to resume duties.
Lawyer warns Senate against fresh obstruction
The Senate had postponed its resumption from September 23 to October 7, extending its annual recess by two weeks and delaying deliberations on key national issues.
Giwa said any attempt to block Akpoti-Uduaghan from rejoining the chamber would contradict the Senate’s own resolution. “Our client should just go straight and resume on Tuesday,” he said. “Anything else is an opinion. The Senate cannot legalise illegality.”
He warned that preventing her entry would plunge the legislature into “total chaos,” insisting that the suspension’s six-month duration had already expired.
Senator stands firm after suspension ordeal
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, called Senate President Godswill Akpabio a “dictator” two weeks ago after gaining access to her sealed office for the first time since March.
The National Assembly Sergeant-at-Arms reopened her office in Suite 2.05 of the Senate Wing, marking the end of her suspension. “It is amazing how much we have had to endure,” she said. “We survived blackmail and recall attempts. No one is more Nigerian than us.”
She added that she had “no apology to tender,” accusing the Senate leadership of high-handedness and discrimination.
Suspension rooted in leadership dispute
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension, imposed on March 6, followed a heated protest over the reassignment of her seat by Senate President Akpabio. The chamber cited misconduct but did not disclose the details of the disciplinary process.
Although her suspension technically expired in September, procedural delays and internal pushback stalled her full return. Efforts to reach Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu and Akpabio’s media aide for comment were unsuccessful.
As the National Assembly ends its recess, observers are watching the red chamber to see if members will allow the outspoken senator to return to plenary without resistance.
