Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to Resume Senate Duties July 15 After Court Nullifies Suspension

Senator Natasha  Akpoti‑Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) has formally notified Senate President Godswill Akpabio of her intention to resume legislative duties on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, following a Federal High Court judgment that nullified her six‑month suspension as unconstitutional and excessive.

In a letter dated July 11, 2025, submitted through her legal team at M.J. Numa & Partners LLP, Akpoti‑Uduaghan cited Order 10 of the judgment, which described the Senate’s action as overreaching and incompatible with Section 63 of the 1999 Constitution. Her lawyers urged immediate compliance and reinstatement in accordance with Nigeria’s Section 318 constitutional provisions.
The letter, titled “RE: SUIT NO: FHC/ABJ/CS/384/2025 Senator Natasha Akpoti‑Uduaghan v. The Clerk of the National Assembly & Ors.: Forwarding of Court Order and Demand for Compliance,” noted that Senate Standing Order 66(4) limits suspensions to a maximum of 14 days—far below the six‑month term imposed on her.

Akpoti‑Uduaghan was first suspended on March 6, 2025, following a Senate Ethics Committee motion that cited alleged misconduct, including interrupting proceedings and refusing to sit in her assigned seat. Her accuser claimed she acted disruptively during a dispute over seating — unrelated to sexual harassment allegations—which remain denied by the Senate President.
The Abuja Federal High Court delivered its ruling on July 4, 2025, declaring the suspension excessive and unconstitutional, and ordered the Senate to recall the senator with immediate effect. The judge emphasised that the six‑month ban violated both the Constitution and the right of her constituents to representation.

Akpoti‑Uduaghan’s letter demanded that the Senate act without delay to prevent a breach of court authority or further infringement on constitutionally guaranteed rights. She formally informed that she would resume her legislative functions on July 15, 2025.
Meanwhile, the Senate leadership has stated it has not yet received a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the court judgment—necessary for official review and action. Until the CTC is received, the Senate says it will refrain from taking any irreversible step