Senate has reopened Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s office after suspension controversy.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the National Assembly has officially reopened the office of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central), signaling a possible end to her months-long standoff with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
On Tuesday, the Sergeant-at-Arms, backed by security personnel, unsealed Office 205 in the Senate wing, restoring the senator’s access to both her office and the National Assembly premises. This development clears the path for her anticipated return to plenary when lawmakers resume on October 7, 2025.
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According to insiders, Senate leadership reached the decision during a meeting on Monday. A motion is expected to be moved by Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South), potentially requiring Akpoti-Uduaghan to tender an apology before resuming her seat.
The senator, who previously chaired the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, was suspended for six months in March following a dispute over seat reassignment by Senate President Akpabio. Though a Federal High Court in Abuja declared the suspension “excessive and unconstitutional” in July, the Senate leadership insisted she must serve the full term.
Her attempted return was blocked, prompting her legal team to issue warnings of contempt charges and other legal remedies against the National Assembly leadership. Clerk to the Assembly, Kamorudeen Ogunlana, however, maintained that only a Senate resolution could reinstate her.
With her office now reopened, attention turns to the Senate’s October plenary session, where the motion for her return and the condition of an apology will determine her full reinstatement.