The Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Tuesday resumed legislative duties at the National Assembly after her suspension was lifted, describing Senate President Godswill Akpabio as a “dictator.”
Her return followed the unsealing of her office in Suite 2.05 of the Senate Wing by the Deputy Director of the National Assembly Sergeant-at-Arms, Alabi Adedeji.
“I, Alabi Adedeji, Deputy Director, Sergeant-at-Arms, hereby unseal the office. The office is hereby unsealed. Thank you,” Adedeji announced in a video circulated on Tuesday.
Addressing journalists after resuming, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she had “no apology to tender” over her standoff with Senate leadership.
“In retrospect, it is amazing how much we endured in the past six months, from the unjust suspension to the recall. But we survived the recall, the blackmail and the attacks. I give God Almighty the glory and my deepest appreciation to the people of Kogi Central, Nigerians at large, and to my husband, who stood firmly by me,” she said.
The lawmaker accused Akpabio of running the Senate like a personal estate.
“No one is more Nigerian than us. Senator Akpabio is not more of a senator than I am. He is not the governor of this place, yet he treated me as if I were a servant in his house. It is unfortunate that the National Assembly is being run by such a dictator. It is totally unacceptable,” she declared.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on March 6, 2025, following a protest against the reassignment of her seat by Akpabio during plenary on February 20. The Senate handed her a six-month suspension, barring her from all activities of the 10th Senate.
Although the suspension lapsed in September, her return was delayed by legal tussles. On July 4, the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that the suspension was “excessive and unconstitutional.” Despite the ruling, the Senate leadership resisted her attempts to resume duties until Tuesday’s unsealing of her office.
It remains unclear, however, whether the development restores her full privileges as a senator or if she will be allowed to sit in plenary when the Senate reconvenes.
Meanwhile, the Senate leadership has again shifted its resumption of plenary sessions, moving the date from September 23 to October 7, 2025.
The decision was conveyed in an internal memo signed by the Chief of Staff to the Senate President, Chinedu Akubueze, who apologised to senators for the short notice.
“This is to respectfully inform distinguished senators that the resumption of plenary sitting of the Senate, earlier scheduled for Tuesday, 23rd September, 2025, has been shifted to Tuesday, 7th October, 2025. Any inconvenience this short notice may cause is deeply regretted,” the memo read.
No official reason was provided, but sources told our correspondent that the extension would allow lawmakers to fully observe the Independence Day celebrations on October 1.
The Senate had adjourned on July 24 for its annual recess. With the latest postponement, debates on pending motions and oversight inquiries into government spending and executive appointments will remain suspended until October.
