The Senate has stopped Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from resuming her legislative duties after the expiration of her six-month suspension, insisting that the matter remains before the Court of Appeal and cannot be addressed until the judicial process is concluded.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, had written to the Assembly notifying that her suspension had elapsed and expressed her intention to return to the Senate.
But in a response signed by the Acting Clerk to the National Assembly, Yahaya Danzaria, the lawmaker was informed that her suspension remained a subject of litigation before the Court of Appeal.
According to the letter obtained by AIT News, the Clerk stated that no administrative action could be taken until the judicial process was concluded and the Senate formally reviewed the case.
The letter read partly: “The subject matter of your suspension is presently before the Court of Appeal. The matter therefore remains subjudice and until the judicial process is completed, and the Senate formally reviews the suspension in the light of the court’s pronouncement, no administrative action can be taken by this office to facilitate your resumption. You will be duly notified of the Senate’s decision on the matter as soon as it is resolved.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan had earlier attempted to resume on July 12, following a Federal High Court judgment directing the Senate to review her suspension. However, she was denied entry into the National Assembly complex.
Both the Senator and the National Assembly have since appealed portions of that judgment, with the case now pending before the appellate court.
Her suspension, which took effect on March 6, 2025, continues to generate controversy among her constituents and political observers.
Source: AIT News
