Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, is expected to return to the National Assembly later this month following the completion of her six-month suspension, her lawyer confirmed.
Her counsel, Victor Giwa, told The PUNCH in Abuja that the lawmaker is currently in London on vacation but has already arranged to rejoin her colleagues when plenary resumes on September 23.
“Actually, she’s ready to resume her term. She’s in London. Everything is in place, and the six months have expired. The only thing left is her resumption,” Giwa said.
He added that Senate leaders were not expected to block her return. “We have been told that even the leadership of the Senate is ready to welcome her. So that’s the situation at the moment. There is no obstacle at all,” he assured.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on March 6 after rejecting a change of her designated seat during plenary, an act the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions described as insubordination. The decision stripped her of salaries, aides, and office privileges.
The senator, however, insisted her suspension was politically motivated, linking it to a petition in which she accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment — an allegation dismissed by the Senate.
She later challenged the suspension in court and secured a judgment in her favor. But Senate leadership maintained she would serve out the full penalty, which expired on September 6.
An attempt by Akpoti-Uduaghan to resume duties in July ended in confrontation when security operatives barred her entry to the National Assembly, despite a crowd of supporters outside the complex.
Her lawyer now insists there are no legal or procedural hurdles to her resumption. “Everything will be resolved. Even the court cases will become like an academic exercise,” Giwa said.
Efforts to obtain comment from Senate leadership were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to spokesman Yemi Adaramodu and to Akpabio’s media aide went unanswered.