Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, is set to return to plenary later this month following the expiration of her six-month suspension by the Senate.
Her lawyer, Victor Giwa, confirmed that the lawmaker, who is currently on vacation in London, has concluded plans to resume duties when the Senate reconvenes on September 23.
“Actually, she is ready to resume her term. She is in London. Everything is in place, and the six months have expired. The only thing left is her resumption,” Giwa told journalists in Abuja.
He added that there was no indication that the Senate leadership would obstruct her return, adding, “We have been told that even the leadership of the Senate is ready to welcome her. So that is the situation at the moment. There is no obstacle at all.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on March 6, 2024, after she rejected a reassignment of her designated seat during plenary, a move the Senate described as insubordination.
Acting on the recommendations of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, the suspension stripped her of aides, office benefits, and salaries.
However, the lawmaker insisted that her ordeal was politically motivated, linking it to a petition she submitted accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment, an allegation dismissed by the Senate.
The dispute soon escalated into a legal battle. In May, a Federal High Court ruled that her suspension was unlawful and ordered her reinstatement. Despite the ruling, the Senate leadership maintained that she would remain barred until the six-month suspension elapsed.
In July, her attempt to re-enter the chamber ended in a standoff, as security operatives blocked her access to the Senate despite a large crowd of supporters rallying outside the National Assembly complex.
With the suspension period ending last Saturday, Giwa said ongoing legal disputes would not hinder her resumption.
“Everything will be resolved. Even the court cases will become like an academic exercise,” he stated.
Efforts to obtain the reaction of the Senate leadership proved unsuccessful as calls and messages to Senate spokesman Yemi Adaramodu and Akpabio’s media aide were not answered.
