BREAKING: SENATE UNSEALS NATASHA’S OFFICE, GRANTS HER ACCESS INTO NASS PREMISES
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By Shodayo Sunmisola Michael
Strong signals arose on Tuesday suggesting that the turmoil between the beleaguered Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, PDP, Kogi Central, and the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, is nearing resolution, as the Sergeant at Arms of the National Assembly, together with a coalition of security personnel, has reopened her office, number 205, in the Senate wing.
This development enables the National Assembly to grant the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan access to both her office and the premises of the National Assembly.
With her office now accessible, Akpoti-Udughan can enter the National Assembly grounds, potentially setting the stage for her to resume her legislative responsibilities.
Sources indicate that the decision to reopen her office ahead of her return is intended to ensure her presence in the esteemed chamber upon the commencement on October 7, 2025.
According to an insider, this resolution was reached during the leadership meeting of the Senate held yesterday, in which a motion is expected to be introduced. If no alterations occur, the Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Abba Moro, PDP, Benue South, will present the motion for her to offer an apology, which will then be seconded and addressed.
It is worth noting that the troubled former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, Akpoti-Uduaghan, was suspended for six months by the Senate in March, which also prohibited her from engaging in all activities related to the 10th Senate, following allegations of misconduct arising from her protest against the reassignment of her seat by Akpabio on February 20, 2025.
Although Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension concluded in September 2025, she has been unable to recommence her duties due to ongoing legal challenges and persistent opposition from the Senate leadership. Due to the extended recess, it remains to be seen how this situation will evolve as the Senate resumes plenary sessions.
After her suspension, she pursued legal action to annul it, but was unsuccessful. The Senate, through its relevant officials, maintained that the issue was not related to any allegations of a sexual nature but was instead concerned with her violations of the amended Senate Standing Orders.
In July, Judge Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja, characterized the six-month suspension as excessive and unconstitutional, subsequently ordering the Senate to reinstate the embattled Senator. She stated that such an extended suspension would leave constituents without representation during that period.
Subsequently, Akpoti-Uduaghan attempted to return to the Senate but was denied entry, as the Senate insisted she fulfill the entirety of her suspension term.
Furthermore, it is important to recall that the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamorudeen Ogunlana, communicated with her through the Acting Clerk to NASS, Yahaya Danzaria, informing her that her six-month suspension remains in effect until the Court of Appeal renders a judgment in her case against the Senate.
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On September 11, the legal representative for Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Michael Jonathan Numa, SAN, addressed a letter to the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamorudeen Ogunlana, requesting the Senator’s recall in order to facilitate her return to legislative functions.
In accordance with the correspondence from Numa, the Chief of Naval Administration (CNA) should be aware that non-compliance by Monday, 15th September 2025, will compel them to pursue legal actions against you both personally and in your official capacity. Such actions will encompass, but are not restricted to, proceedings for contempt, disciplinary measures for violation of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, accountability for inciting a disturbance of the peace with potential repercussions for national security, and any other remedies accessible to our client under current legislation.
In response to the communication from her legal representative, the CNA, Ogunlana, appealed to the public to exercise patience and permit the relevant agencies, including the Senate and the judiciary, to fulfill their constitutional obligations regarding the resumption of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
He stated that he lacks the jurisdiction to review, overturn, or interpret Senate decisions, noting that his office functions strictly as an administrative entity, offering support to the Senate in alignment with their resolutions, Standing Orders, and the stipulations of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
In a statement issued by the Director of Information for the Clerk to the National Assembly, Bullah Audu Bi-Allah, he remarked that Ogunlana is therefore not positioned to facilitate her resumption at this juncture. He further emphasized that the determination of whether Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan can resume her legislative functions as a matter of right, without any further or new resolution from the Senate following the completion of her six-month suspension, rests solely with the Senate and not with the office of the CNA.
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