Natasha to Resume Senate After London Trip - Lawyer

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan will resume her legislative duties later this month after serving out a six-month suspension imposed by the Senate.

Her lawyer, Victor Giwa, confirmed the development yesterday in Abuja, explaining that the Kogi Central lawmaker is currently in London but has concluded arrangements to rejoin her colleagues when plenary resumes on September 23.

“Actually, she’s ready to resume her term. She’s in London. Everything is in place, and the six months have expired. The only thing left is her resumption,” Giwa said.

The counsel stressed that there was no indication of resistance from the leadership of the upper chamber.

“We have been told that even the leadership of the Senate is ready to welcome her. So that’s the situation at the moment. There is no obstacle at all,” he assured.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on March 6 over allegations of insubordination after she refused to accept a reassignment of her seat during plenary.

The suspension, recommended by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, came with loss of aides, withdrawal of office facilities and stoppage of salaries.

The senator had insisted her punishment was connected to a petition she filed against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, accusing him of sexual harassment, an allegation the Senate dismissed.

Although she approached the court and secured a ruling which she interpreted as a recall order, the Senate leadership held that the punishment must run its course.

In July, her bid to return to the chamber ahead of time was thwarted by security operatives who denied her access despite the presence of supporters outside the National Assembly complex.

With the suspension ending last weekend, her lawyer insisted there was nothing standing in the way of her resumption.

“Everything will be resolved. Even the court cases will become like an academic exercise,” Giwa noted.

Efforts to obtain comments from the Senate leadership proved abortive, as calls and messages to spokesman Yemi Adaramodu and the media aide to the Senate President were not returned.