September 8, 2025
By Ademola Adekusibe
After six turbulent months marked by courtroom battles and political intrigue, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central is set to resume her seat in the upper chamber later this month.
Her lawyer, Victor Giwa, confirmed on Sunday that the suspension slammed on her by the Senate has run its course, stressing that there is no longer any legal or procedural barrier to her return.
“The suspension period has elapsed. What remains now is simply for her to resume her legislative duties. There is no obstacle preventing that,” Giwa stated confidently.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on March 6, following a heated standoff with the Senate leadership over seating arrangements, which escalated into accusations of insubordination. The Ethics and Privileges Committee swiftly recommended her suspension for six months, along with the withdrawal of allowances, a decision that many of her supporters described as politically motivated.
Though she secured a favorable court ruling quashing the suspension, the Senate leadership defied the judgment and insisted she serve the full term. In July, her attempt to stage a dramatic comeback was thwarted when security operatives denied her entry into the National Assembly complex, fueling further debate over whether the chamber was deliberately silencing an outspoken female lawmaker.
With her suspension now officially over, attention has shifted to how the Senate leadership will handle her return. Analysts say the development will test the chamber’s willingness to heal internal rifts or risk deepening the perception that opposition voices are being muzzled.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who has spent part of the suspension period in London, is expected to rejoin her colleagues when plenary resumes on September 23. Her re-entry is certain to reignite conversations about gender, power, and the limits of dissent in Nigeria’s 10th Senate.
