Signs emerged on Tuesday that the protracted standoff between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) and Senate President Godswill Akpabio may be drawing to a close.
Security personnel and the Sergeant-at-Arms of the National Assembly have now unsealed her Senate office (Room 205), signaling a possible resolution.
The reopening of her office effectively grants Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan access to the National Assembly complex, potentially paving the way for her return to legislative duties.
Vanguard has learned that this action is intended to enable her presence in the Senate chamber when plenary resumes on October 7, 2025. According to insider sources, the Senate leadership met earlier this week and agreed to present a motion to reinstate the suspended lawmaker. The motion is expected to be moved by Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South), and will include a provision for Akpoti-Uduaghan to formally apologize, after which the matter will be debated and resolved.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, formerly Chair of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, was handed a six-month suspension in March 2025 following her protest against the reassignment of her seat by Senate President Akpabio on February 20. The Senate leadership cited misconduct and violation of Standing Orders as reasons for the disciplinary action.
Although her suspension officially ended in September, the Senator has yet to resume duties, citing legal battles and resistance from Senate leadership. The delay has also been attributed to the extended legislative recess.
Akpoti-Uduaghan challenged the suspension in court, arguing it was unlawful. In July, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja, ruled in her favor, declaring the six-month suspension excessive and unconstitutional. The judge ordered her immediate recall, noting that extended suspensions leave constituents unrepresented.
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Despite the ruling, attempts by the Senator to return were blocked. The Senate maintained that the suspension remained valid until the Court of Appeal rules on the matter.
On September 11, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s counsel, Michael Jonathan Numa, SAN, wrote to the Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA), Kamorudeen Ogunlana, demanding her reinstatement. The letter warned of potential legal consequences should the Senator not be allowed to resume by September 15, including contempt proceedings and actions for breach of public office conduct.
In response, Ogunlana emphasized that his office lacks the authority to overturn Senate resolutions. Through a statement signed by Director of Information, Bullah Audu Bi-Allah, the CNA urged the public to allow the Senate and judiciary to fulfill their constitutional roles. He reiterated that decisions regarding a senator’s suspension or reinstatement rest solely with the Senate, not the administrative office of the CNA.
As plenary approaches, the stage appears set for a formal resolution—either through a fresh Senate motion or further judicial intervention. How the chamber proceeds could have significant implications for both legislative integrity and the rights of elected officials.
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