The Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, resumed in her office at the National Assembly, bringing an end to months of suspension and a prolonged battle with Senate leadership.
Her office, located in Suite 2.05 of the Senate Wing, was formally unsealed by the Deputy Director of the Sergeant-at-Arms, Alabi Adedeji, who declared: “The office is hereby unsealed. Thank you.”
Suspended on March 6, 2025, over alleged misconduct during her protest against the reassignment of her Senate seat by President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, Akpoti-Uduaghan had endured six months outside the Red Chamber. Although the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled on July 4 that her suspension was excessive and unconstitutional, her return was stalled by legal tussles and resistance from Senate leadership.
Upon resumption, the embattled lawmaker stood her ground, stressing she had “no apology to tender.”
“In the past six months, we survived blackmail, the unjust suspension, and even a recall attempt. I give glory to God and gratitude to my people in Kogi Central and Nigerians at large. To my husband, thank you for standing by me,” she said.
She stated, “In retrospect, it’s actually amazing how much we have had to face and survive in the past six months. And most of it happened in the full glare of Nigerians. From the unjust suspension to the recall. We survived the recall. We survived the blockage of roads and waterways into Kogi that we had to fly in using a helicopter. We survived the blackmail from the so-called woman from the crazy lady on Facebook. You know, it’s amazing what we had to survive. I give God Almighty the glory and my deepest appreciation to the good people of Kogi Central, Kogi State, and Nigeria at large.
“My husband, my love, if you see this, I love you dearly. And should I pray all men support their wives as much as you have supported me. And my children, thank you for your sacrifices.
“In everything, it just shows that sometimes it’s good to put the institutions to test. We can’t cower down in the face of injustice. No one is more Nigerian than us. Senator Akpabio is not more of a senator than I am. He’s not a governor of this place. And he treated me, he treated me as if I was his servant or I was a domestic staff in his house. It’s very unfortunate that at this time, after so many years of democracy, we would have a National Assembly be run by such dictatorship. It’s totally unacceptable.”
“As for me, I’m glad to be here,” she said. “And even though we have been illegally suspended, no day have I hesitated in effectively carrying out my duties as a senator of Kogi Central to the very best of my capacity. I have never, not, no day went by without me looking out for opportunities, either in terms of bringing infrastructure or projects to my people. And even jobs wherever I could because I didn’t want them to suffer the neglect and the vacuum that was created by this injustice.
“I thank people like Aunty Oby Ekwe, Sister Aisha, … and the media. The media, thank you for being fair. Even though at one time, I did observe three months ago, there was some silence. I understand that sometimes intimidation can come, and you all have families to cater for. Unfortunately, we are in a country today where lives mean nothing. So, I don’t blame you, members of the media, who, at a particular time, withheld publishing facts as they happen.”
“We can’t cower in the face of injustice. No one is more Nigerian than the other. Senator Akpabio is not the governor of this place, yet he treated me as though I were a servant. Unfortunately, a National Assembly is being run in such a dictatorial manner. This is unacceptable.”
It remains unclear whether Tuesday’s development restores her full privileges and if she will be allowed to sit with her colleagues when plenary resumes on October 7.
