Kogi Central lawmaker Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan resumed her role at the National Assembly on Tuesday, ending a suspension that lasted over six months. Her return reignited political tension as she accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of running the chamber in a dictatorial manner.
Her office, locked since March 6, was reopened by Alabi Adedeji, Deputy Director of the Sergeant-at-Arms, who formally unsealed the space in a short ceremony. The action paved the way for the senator’s long-awaited resumption.
Addressing supporters, Akpoti-Uduaghan stood firm in her stance, asserting she would not apologize for her actions. “In retrospect, it is actually amazing how much we have had to pay in the past six months, from the unjust suspension to the recall. But we survived the recall, blackmail and that crazy lady on Facebook,” she recounted.
She expressed gratitude to her husband, her constituents in Kogi Central, and Nigerians across the country, emphasizing that her ordeal had only strengthened her resolve to challenge injustice.
Her suspension, which stemmed from protests over her seat reassignment, was initially set for six months but extended amid legal and procedural battles. On July 4, the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled against the Senate’s action, labeling it unconstitutional.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, however, directed harsh words at Akpabio. “Senator Akpabio is not more of a senator than I am. He is not the governor of this place, yet he treated me as if I were a servant or domestic staff in his house. It is so unfortunate that we will have a National Assembly being run by such a dictator. It is totally unacceptable,” she said.
As Senate plenary now resumes on October 7 instead of September 23, all eyes are on whether she will be fully reinstated with full legislative privileges when sessions reconvene.
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