By Abdul Lauya
A confrontation is brewing in Nigeria’s Senate as suspended lawmaker, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, insists on reclaiming her seat on Tuesday, July 22, in defiance of a standing suspension and warnings from Senate leadership.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, was handed a six-month suspension in March 2025 over what the Senate described as “unparliamentary conduct.”
However, following a Federal High Court ruling earlier this month which declared the suspension “excessive” and unconstitutional, the senator has vowed to return to plenary without waiting for Senate clearance.
“I will resume on Tuesday,” she told journalists. “The court has spoken. I don’t need their permission.”
But the Senate strongly disagrees. In a formal communication through the Clerk to the National Assembly and reiterated in a public statement by its spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, the Red Chamber cautioned her against resumption, stressing that the court ruling was declaratory and did not explicitly order her reinstatement.
“There is no subsisting court order mandating the Senate to recall the lawmaker before the expiration of her suspension,” Adaramodu said on Monday, July 21, adding that the Senate would act in accordance with its internal rules and processes.
The brewing standoff has drawn national attention, not just because of the legal grey area surrounding the court’s decision, but also due to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s earlier claims of harassment and victimization within the Senate.
Her case has sparked broader conversations around gender equity, abuse of legislative power, and the balance between judicial oversight and parliamentary autonomy.
Legal analysts suggest that while the court’s ruling affirms the senator’s rights, it leaves room for interpretation, one that both sides are now exploiting to support their positions.
Should she show up at Tuesday’s plenary, observers warn it could result in dramatic scenes on the Senate floor and possibly escalate into a constitutional crisis.
As the clock ticks toward Tuesday, Nigerians, and the political class, are watching closely to see whether Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan will make good on her vow, and how the Senate will respond.
