The prolonged standoff between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) and the Senate appears to be easing after her office at the National Assembly was officially unsealed on Tuesday.
Personnel from the Sergeant-at-Arms, supported by security operatives, reopened Office 205 in the Senate wing, which had been sealed since her suspension in March 2025.
The move is seen as a major step toward Akpoti-Uduaghan’s full reinstatement to legislative duties, coming just weeks before the Senate resumes plenary on October 7.
Sources disclosed that the decision followed a leadership meeting held on Monday, signaling a shift in the chamber’s stance after her six-month suspension elapsed in September.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on February 20, 2025, over alleged breaches of the Senate’s Standing Orders after a dispute regarding the reassignment of her seat. Despite her challenge in court, the Senate insisted the suspension was procedural and not personal.
In July, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja faulted the length of the suspension, describing it as “excessive” and stressing that it denied her constituents representation. However, the Senate maintained that her suspension would last until the Court of Appeal rules on her suit.
With her office now reopened, expectations are high that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan may return to the Red Chamber once plenary reconvenes.
