By Abayomi Grace
The Senate has reopened Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s office and granted her access to the National Assembly premises. This move comes after a prolonged standoff between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio, which led to her suspension in March 2025 for six months. The suspension was described as “excessive and unconstitutional” by the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Binta Nyako, as it denied her constituents proper representation.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s office, sealed since her suspension, was unsealed on Tuesday by the Sergeant-at-Arms, supported by security operatives. This development effectively restores her entry into the National Assembly complex, ending months of restricted access. According to parliamentary sources, the leadership of the upper chamber reached the decision at a closed-door meeting on Monday.
A motion is expected to be presented when plenary resumes on October 7, 2025, with Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro tipped to formally move for her reinstatement after a public apology. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lawyer had warned of legal consequences if she wasn’t reinstated, but the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamorudeen Ogunlana, maintained that his office lacked the authority to overturn Senate resolutions.
The senator’s suspension stemmed from a heated clash with Akpabio over the reassignment of her seat as Chair of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs. Although the suspension technically lapsed in September, she remained locked out amid court battles and resistance from Senate authorities. With her office now reopened, attention shifts to the Senate floor, where her formal reintegration is expected to be addressed in the coming days .
The development signals a possible end to the long-running dispute between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio, with Akpoti-Uduaghan potentially resuming her legislative duties after tendering an apology. This move clears the way for her return to the Senate, paving the way for her potential reinstatement .
