Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has regained access to her office at the National Assembly following a six-month suspension imposed by the Senate earlier this year.
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The office was unsealed on Tuesday by the Sergeant-at-Arms, assisted by security personnel, after weeks of legal and political disputes over her suspension. The reopening signals the possibility of her returning to full legislative activities when the Senate resumes on October 7.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended in March after she accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment. The Senate leadership, citing violations of its standing rules, barred her for six months, a decision widely criticized by opposition figures and civil society groups.
Her attempt to return on Tuesday was not without tension, as some security operatives initially resisted her entry into the building before eventually stepping aside. Sources within the Assembly suggest that Minority Leader Abba Moro may move a motion compelling her to tender an apology to the chamber as a condition for her reinstatement.
Speaking shortly after regaining access to her office, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan declared: “Senate President Akpabio is not more of a senator than I am. He wanted to treat me like I am his maid. We cannot remain calm in the face of injustice in Nigeria. No one is more Nigerian than the other, and sometimes it is good to put institutions to the test.”
The legal battle over her suspension has also deepened the standoff. A Federal High Court earlier described the suspension as unconstitutional and ordered her recall, but the Senate leadership insisted she must serve the full term, keeping the dispute alive.
