After months of political tension and legal battles, the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, is set to return to plenary today (Tuesday), marking the end of her six-month suspension from the upper chamber of the National Assembly.
Her lawyer, Victor Giwa, confirmed the development in an interview with The Punch, saying the lawmaker had fully served her suspension and was legally entitled to resume her legislative duties. He cautioned that any attempt to prevent her return would contradict the Senate’s own resolution and could trigger a constitutional crisis.
“She has served out the six months,” Giwa said. “Whatever is going on in court now is only to determine whether the Senate’s action in March was validly made. It has nothing to do with her resumption. Denying her the right to resume means going against your own resolution, which will amount to promoting total chaos in the National Assembly.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension, which began on March 6, 2025, followed a heated confrontation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio after she protested the reassignment of her seat during plenary. The Senate leadership accused her of “gross misconduct,” and her office in Suite 2.05 of the Senate Wing was immediately sealed by the Sergeant-at-Arms.
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Although her suspension expired in September, she was unable to return due to pending court actions and alleged internal resistance within the Senate leadership. With plenary resuming today after an extended recess—shifted from September 23 to October 7 all eyes are now on the chamber to see whether Akpoti-Uduaghan will be allowed to take her seat without confrontation.
Speaking to journalists after her office was reopened on September 23, the Kogi senator launched a fierce criticism of Akpabio, describing him as a “dictator” who had turned the Senate into his personal estate.
“It is amazing how much we’ve endured over the past six months from unjust suspension to recall attempts and blackmail. But we survived,” she said. “Sometimes it’s necessary to push the institution to the test. Senator Akpabio is not more of a senator than I am. He is not the governor of this place, yet he treated me like domestic staff. It’s unfortunate that our National Assembly is being run by such a dictator. It’s totally unacceptable.”
Political observers say her return could reignite internal tensions in the Red Chamber, especially between loyalists of the Senate President and members sympathetic to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s cause. Some analysts also suggest that her defiance could embolden other lawmakers who have criticized Akpabio’s leadership style in recent months.
As the Senate reconvenes today, public attention will be fixed on how the leadership handles her reinstatement—and whether the chamber can move past months of internal strife to focus on legislative priorities amid growing national challenges.