The long-standing standoff between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) and House of Senate appears to be easing, as the embattled lawmaker’s Senate office has been officially unsealed.
On Tuesday, personnel from the Sergeant-at-Arms of the National Assembly, assisted by security agencies, reopened Office 205 in the Senate wing—assigned to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
This action signals a significant shift in the Senate’s stance and may pave the way for her return to full legislative duties.
The move comes ahead of the Senate’s scheduled resumption on October 7, 2025, and is widely seen as a prelude to her reinstatement in the Red Chamber after a six-month suspension that expired in September.
Sources within the National Assembly revealed that the decision to unseal her office followed a leadership meeting held on Monday.
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Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended in March 2025 following a dispute with the Senate House over the reassignment of her seat on February 20, 2025.
The Senate accused her of breaching its Standing Orders and imposed a six-month suspension, barring her from participating in all Senate activities.
She challenged the decision in court, but the Senate stood its ground.
While denying allegations that the suspension was linked to gender or personal issues, Senate officials insisted it stemmed strictly from procedural violations.
In July, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja criticised the duration of the suspension, describing it as “excessive” and noting that it effectively denied Akpoti-Uduaghan’s constituents representation.
Despite this, the National Assembly Clerk, through Acting Clerk Yahaya Danzaria maintained that the suspension would remain in effect until a judgment is delivered by the Court of Appeal on the suit filed by Akpoti-Uduaghan.
