Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has officially resumed her legislative duties at the National Assembly, with her office in Suite 2.05 of the Senate Wing now unsealed. This development follows her six-month suspension, which she consistently maintained was illegal. Her return on Tuesday, after notifying the upper chamber of her intention to resume, marks a significant moment in a contentious period.

The Kogi Central Senator was initially suspended in March for six months following a public shouting match with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over seating arrangements. The Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions had proposed this suspension, which was subsequently approved. A key condition announced by Akpabio for considering the lifting or reduction of her suspension was the submission of a written apology to the Senate.

However, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan vehemently refused to apologize, declaring her suspension unlawful. She asserted that the recommendation document leading to her suspension was orchestrated by the office of the Senate President, with signatures that were not willful, thus alleging fraud in the process. “You can’t apologise for an injustice,” she stated, adding that if an apology was a condition for re-entry, they had “a long dance to make.” Furthermore, she had previously accused Senate President Akpabio of making inappropriate advances towards her during a visit to his residence in Akwa Ibom in December 2023, even in the company of her husband, an allegation she reiterated her resolve to pursue for justice and accountability.

Her return to the National Assembly complex about 1:09 pm on Tuesday was preceded by a leadership meeting on Monday, which resolved to allow her access, amidst reports of senators being divided on her fate. Many argued that continued exclusion would create needless distractions for the Senate. Akpoti-Uduaghan expressed gratitude to her supporters, including lawyers, her husband, opposition parties, women groups, the media, and her constituents, who she said believed in her fight to return. Crowds of supporters even followed her to the Assembly, prompting heightened security.

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) had also weighed in on the matter, with its President, Afam Osigwe SAN, stating that regardless of the ongoing legal challenges, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan should be permitted to return to her seat as her six-month suspension period had concluded. He emphasized that the Senate should not use a pending appeal to deny her seat once the actual suspension ended, urging the Senate to act honorably and ensure her constituents were not unrepresented.

Her resumption coincided with an announcement from the Senate to shift its resumption of plenary sessions by two weeks, moving it from September 23 to October 7, 2025. The chamber had adjourned its annual holiday on July 24 and was initially set to reconvene. A memo from the Chief of Staff to the Senate President, Chinedu Akubueze, communicated this change without specifying a reason, expressing regret for any inconvenience. Notably, this communication was signed by Akubueze, rather than the Clerk of the Senate who typically issues such notices, although Emmanuel Odo was approved as Acting Clerk of the Senate on September 16.