The lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, is set to make her return to the National Assembly, where she will resume her full legislative duties after a six-month suspension that kept her away from plenary sessions and official engagements.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s return to the red chamber comes after months of political drama and legal battles that stemmed from her altercation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio during a plenary session.
Her lawyer, who announced her return on Monday, said the senator is currently on vacation in London, but will resume plenary when the Senate reconvenes on 23 September 2025.
He added that the Senate leadership has already made necessary arrangements to facilitate her smooth and peaceful return to the chamber, assuring that there would be no resistance or obstruction from within the legislative body when she resumes her duties.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on 6 March 2025 for allegedly disobeying a directive to vacate her designated seat during plenary.
The decision, recommended by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, also stripped her of aides, salary, and office privileges.
The lawmaker had dismissed the sanction as politically motivated, linking it to her sexual harassment petition against Akpabio, an allegation the Senate denied.
Though a court ruling in July favored her reinstatement, she was prevented from entering the chamber by security operatives, prompting protests outside the National Assembly.
With her suspension ending last week, her lawyer said all legal disputes related to the issue have been overtaken by events, clearing the way for her full return to legislative duties.
