The suspended senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, says she will resume plenary on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in line with a court decision, despite an appeal filed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio challenging the ruling.
Speaking in an interview while in her constituency for a training programme on Saturday, Natasha confirmed she had written to the Senate to formally announce her intention to return.
“I have pretty much two months more before the six months expire. However, I have written to the Senate again telling them that I’m resuming on the 22nd, which is on Tuesday, by the special grace of God.
“I will be there, because the court did make the decision on that. Now, they argue that it’s an order; it’s not an order, but it is a decision,” she said.
The politician, who was suspended in March, claimed that while the ban did not prevent her from delivering projects to her constituents, it did limit her capacity to do crucial legislative duties such as introducing bills and moving motions.
“I did mention that every senator has three major functions. Legislative, which is the creation of laws and review of treaties. Then we have oversight, which is to oversee ministers and agencies. And then the third is representation, which I’m doing.
“Whereby I identify the problems and the challenges of my community, and I make sure I present them and have them captured in the federal budget. And I have done pretty well with that. Of course, I do miss putting up my bills there, but it didn’t stop me from working,” she explained.
Natasha was suspended for alleged wrongdoing, a decision that her legal team disputed in court.
A recent verdict found the suspension unconstitutional, but the Senate has already launched an appeal, which the senator claims will not prevent her resuming.
Her intended return sets the setting for a new showdown in the Red Chamber, as she asserts her constitutional right to representation.
