Kogi Central Senator, Mrs. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Tuesday, resumed duties at the National Assembly following the unsealing of her office after a six-month suspension.
The senator arrived at the complex on Tuesday, accompanied by supporters, just hours after the Sergeant-at-Arms unlocked her office at Suite 2.05 in the Senate wing.
‘While we were in court, I read in the news that our office had been opened. I even saw a video of the () Clerk (of the Senate)himself unlocking the door’, Akpoti-Uduaghan told journalists before stepping inside.
She noted that no formal communication had been issued to her about her reinstatement.
She said: ‘As at this moment, I have not been officially communicated to. I expect an institution like the National Assembly to follow administrative procedures, with written communication.
‘The last correspondence we received from the Clerk stated that we were not allowed to resume, as it was within the purview of the Senate. But we are here today, and I intend to spend a few minutes in the office’.
The return led to a mild drama at the entrance to the Senate wing as Akpoti-Uduaghan’s supporters insisted on accompanying her inside. She then asked them to remain calm.
‘She said: Those of you who want to come, it is your office, your right to be there; just as it is your right to be here in the people’s parliament. But I ask that you remain quiet and calm.
‘Your voices have been heard, your actions have been loud. Nigerians are proud of you, I am proud of you, and our ancestors are proud of you. Now, I will simply walk in’.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended by the senate for alleged breaches of its standing rules.
However, on 4 July, the Federal High Court in Abuja declared the suspension ‘excessive and unconstitutional’, and implored the senate to consider her reinstatement.
Despite the ruling, the National Assembly management had maintained that the senator could not return without either a fresh Senate resolution or a definitive court order.
Her resumption on Tuesday marked the first time she had accessed her office since the suspension was imposed.
Earlier in the day, Senate’s Sergeant-at-Arms unsealed the embattled Senator’s office, which has been under lock and key since she was suspended on 6 March 2025.
In a video shared on X, Deputy Director, Sergeant-at-Arms, Alabi Adedeji could be seen removing the red seal from the office door.
On 9 September, the National Assembly prevented Akpoti-Uduaghan from resuming legislative duties, insisting that her suspension is still a subject of litigation.
