SENATOR NATASHA AKPOTI-UDUAGHAN’S SUSPENSION SPARKS FRESH DISPUTE AHEAD OF RESUMPTION
Senate insists suspension stands pending appeal despite lawyer’s claim of expiration.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) is expected to resume legislative duties at the Senate later this month, but her return remains uncertain as the upper chamber insists her six-month suspension is still in force.
Her lawyer, Victor Giwa, told The PUNCH that the suspension has expired and that the lawmaker, currently in London, is prepared to rejoin her colleagues when plenary resumes on September 23.
“Everything is in place. The six months have expired, and the leadership is ready to welcome her. There is no obstacle at all,” Giwa said.
But in a letter dated September 4, the Senate, through Acting Clerk Dr Yahaya Danzaria, maintained that Akpoti-Uduaghan cannot resume until a pending Court of Appeal judgment is delivered, describing the matter as sub judice.
The senator was suspended on March 6, 2025, after a heated confrontation in the chamber over the reassignment of her seat and allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Although a Federal High Court in Abuja ruled in July that she should be reinstated, security personnel blocked her attempt to enter the National Assembly.
With plenary due to reconvene in two weeks, it remains unclear whether the lawmaker will take her seat or continue her legal battle with Senate leadership.
Source: Ap News
