Senate to Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan: Stay Away from Proceedings, No Court Order Permits Resumption

Abuja, Nigeria – July 21, 2025 – The Nigerian Senate has issued a stern warning to suspended Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, directing her to refrain from participating in legislative proceedings until her six-month suspension, imposed in March 2025, is formally lifted. The Senate’s position comes in response to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s announcement that she intended to resume her duties on July 22, 2025, citing a recent Federal High Court ruling. The Senate, however, clarified that no court order explicitly mandates her immediate return, urging her to respect due process to avoid disrupting legislative activities.

The controversy began in March 2025, when the Senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan following a heated dispute over seat arrangements in the Senate chamber. The situation escalated when the Kogi Central senator accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual misconduct, an allegation Akpabio vehemently denied. The Senate deemed her actions a breach of its rules and decorum, leading to a six-month suspension, set to expire in September 2025. The suspension barred her from participating in plenary sessions, committee meetings, or any legislative activities at the National Assembly.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claim to resume her duties stemmed from a Federal High Court ruling delivered by Justice Binta Nyako. The senator argued that the court’s decision supported her immediate return to the Senate. However, Senate spokesman Senator Yemi Adaramodu, in a statement on Sunday, July 20, 2025, clarified that the court’s ruling was merely an advisory opinion, not a mandatory order compelling the Senate to reinstate her. “The Federal High Court’s pronouncement is an advisory to the Senate to review the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan,” Adaramodu stated. “It is not a direct order to recall her before the expiration of the suspension period.”

Adaramodu emphasized that the Senate remains committed to upholding its internal processes and procedures. He noted that the chamber would consider the court’s advisory at an appropriate time but maintained that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension remains in effect. “The Senate urges the distinguished senator to respect the institution and refrain from actions that could disrupt the smooth running of legislative proceedings,” he added. The Senate warned that any attempt by Akpoti-Uduaghan to resume her duties prematurely could lead to further disciplinary measures.

The suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan, a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has sparked widespread debate, with some Nigerians arguing that the Senate’s actions were politically motivated. Supporters of the senator, including women’s rights groups and political analysts, have described the suspension as an attempt to silence her vocal criticism of the Senate leadership. Others, however, maintain that the Senate’s decision was justified, citing the need to maintain decorum and discipline within the hallowed chambers.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, a lawyer and businesswoman before her election to the Senate, has been a vocal advocate for gender equality and social justice. Her clash with Senate President Akpabio, a powerful figure in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has further highlighted tensions within Nigeria’s political landscape. The allegations of sexual misconduct, though unproven, have fueled public discourse on accountability and the treatment of women in Nigerian politics.

As the September 2025 expiration of her suspension approaches, all eyes are on the Senate’s next steps. The chamber’s leadership has promised to review the court’s advisory in due course, but it remains unclear whether Akpoti-Uduaghan will be allowed to return earlier or face additional hurdles. For now, the Senate has made its stance clear: Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan must stay away from legislative proceedings until her suspension is officially lifted.

The situation continues to unfold, with Nigerians awaiting further developments in this high-profile political saga.