The suspended senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has been replaced by the senate as the Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senator Aniekan Bassey was named as the new Chairman of the Committee, replacing Natasha.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the appointment during Thursday’s plenary.
Natasha was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing the Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
The removal of Natasha, who represents Kogi Central, is believed to be related to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to apologise to the Senate.
However, the Senate has not received a certified true copy of the court judgement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
She stated in a televised interview on Tuesday that she is awaiting the certified true copy of the judgement before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
The Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, according to a legal opinion dated July 5.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central—it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
