The embattled Senator representing Kogi Central, Mrs Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, resumed her legislative duties on Tuesday after regaining access to her office at the National Assembly.
Her return followed the unsealing of her office, located in Suite 2.05 of the Senate Wing, by the Deputy Director of the National Assembly Sergeant-at-Arms, Mr Alabi Adedeji.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has been on suspension since March 6, 2025, after a rift with the Senate President, Mr Godswill Akpabio.
She was given a six-month suspension in March, barring her from all activities of the 10th Senate over alleged misconduct during her protest against the reassignment of her seat Mr Akpabio on February 20.
Although her suspension formally lapsed in September, she was unable to return due to legal tussles and resistance from Senate leadership.
On July 4, however, the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that the suspension was excessive and unconstitutional.
Following the judgment, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan wrote to the Senate notifying it of her intention to resume duties, but the request was rebuffed by the upper chamber of the National Assembly.
But today, while removing the seal, the Deputy Director, Sergeant-at-Arms, said, “I, Alabi Adedeji, Deputy Director, Sergeant-at-Arms, hereby unseal the office. The office is hereby unsealed. Thank you.”
It, however, remains unclear whether Tuesday’s development restores her full privileges as a senator and if the senator will be allowed to sit with her colleagues when plenary resumes on October 7.
In a message on Tuesday, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan said, “In retrospect, it is actually amazing how much we have had to pay in the past six months, from the unjust suspension to the recall. But we survived the recall, blackmail, and that crazy lady on Facebook.
“It is amazing what we had to pass through, and I give God Almighty the glory and my deepest appreciation to the people of Kogi Central and Nigerians at large. To my husband, I love you dearly. I pray all men support their wives in the same manner you have supported me.
“In everything, sometimes it is good to push the institution to the test. We can’t cower down in the face of injustice. No one is more Nigerian than us. Senator Akpabio is not more of a senator than I am. He is not the governor of this place, yet he treated me as if I were a servant or domestic staff in his house.
“It is so unfortunate that we will have a National Assembly being run by such a dictator. It is totally unacceptable.”