Senate Reopens Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan Office

The National Assembly has reopened the office of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan after months of suspension, signaling an end to her rift with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Security personnel and the Sergeant-at-Arms carried out the unsealing of her office in the Senate wing on Tuesday.

With the office now accessible, Akpoti-Uduaghan has also been granted entry into the National Assembly premises, clearing the path for her return to legislative work. The reopening comes just weeks before the Senate resumes plenary on October 7, raising expectations that she will rejoin her colleagues in the chamber.

The decision to allow her back followed a leadership meeting of the Senate, where plans were discussed for a motion that would require her to tender an apology before resuming fully. The Minority Leader, Abba Moro, is expected to move the motion when plenary reconvenes.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, who once chaired the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, was suspended in March for six months after clashing with Senate leadership over the reassignment of her seat. The suspension, which expired in September, was marked by legal battles and political pushback that delayed her return.

During the suspension, she challenged the decision in court. In July, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ruled that the punishment was excessive and unconstitutional, stressing that it left her constituents without representation. Despite the judgment, Senate leadership insisted she must serve the full term of the sanction.

Her attempt to resume earlier was blocked, with the Clerk to the National Assembly informing her that she must wait until the Court of Appeal rules on her suit. Tensions deepened when her lawyer issued a warning that fresh legal action, including contempt proceedings, would follow if she was not recalled.

In response, the National Assembly management urged patience, stressing that decisions on her resumption rested solely with the Senate. The Clerk’s office described its role as administrative, without powers to overturn or interpret Senate resolutions.

With Tuesday’s reopening of her office, the standoff appears to be easing, and the stage is set for Akpoti-Uduaghan’s formal return once the Senate reconvenes.