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By Lizzy Chirkpi
The controversy over the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) has intensified, as the Senate has barred her from resuming duties despite claim that her six-month suspension has lapsed.
On September 4, 2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan formally notified the Assembly’s leadership of her intention to return to plenary and reclaim her office, arguing that her suspension imposed on March 6, 2025 had “expired by effluxion of time.”
In a letter to the Clerk of the National Assembly, she said, “The suspension was for a definite period of six months, not indefinite. Upon expiration, my full rights and privileges as a Senator are automatically restored.”
She further maintained that her right to resume was constitutional, regardless of ongoing legal appeals, noting that both she and Senate President Godswill Akpabio had filed separate appeals at the Court of Appeal challenging aspects of the Federal High Court’s ruling.
Legal analysts warn that the continued suspension raises constitutional questions about denying constituents representation, while civil society groups argue that prolonged suspensions especially when contested in court risk disenfranchising voters.
For now, the Senate remains on recess, and the stalemate endures.
Meanwhile, Senator Natasha has insisted on an immediate return, but the Assembly maintains that due process must take its full course. Her office remains under lock and key, leaving her constituents in limbo.
The Court of Appeal’s eventual verdict is expected to determine not only her fate but also set a precedent for the limits of parliamentary privilege in Nigeria’s evolving democracy.