SENATE President Godswill Akpabio has removed the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, as chairperson of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
He replaced the Kogi lawmaker with her counterpart from Akwa Ibom North-East, Aniekan Bassey.
Akpabio announced the changes during the plenary on Thursday, July 10.
He also hinted at minor shake-ups involving vice chairmen of various committees in the coming days.
Natasha, who was suspended by the Senate, was originally the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Local Content.
The position was withdrawn, and she was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGO Committee. With the latest development, Akpoti-Uduaghan, a first-time senator, will resume without heading any committee.
Crisis began for her at the Red Chamber on Thursday, February 20, when she protested against the reassignment of her seat in the Senate without prior notice.
She resisted the change, calling it an attempt to silence her, while the Senate Chief Whip, Tahir Monguno, justified the move, citing Senate rules and party affiliations.
Her protest led to a heated exchange with Akpabio, who ordered the sergeant-at-arms to remove her from the chamber.
Amid the dispute, in an interview on Arise Television, she accused Akpabio of making repeated sexual advances toward her, which she said she rejected.
She alleged that her refusal was the reason behind their frequent clashes with Akpabio in the Senate.
According to her, some of Akpabio’s love proposals were made with her on the phone and face-to-face in her husband’s presence. She further alleged that she had all the evidence for her claims.
In March, the Nigerian Senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months, despite an interim order from a Federal High Court in Abuja restraining the Senate from investigating her actions.
Her suspension was based on her rejection of the seat allocated to her in the chamber, not because of her sexual harassment allegation against Akpabio.
Amid her suspension, a petition to recall her from the Senate was submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by a group of voters from her district.
The petition dated 21 March 2025 was submitted on Monday, March 24, at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.
However, in a statement on Thursday, April 3, INEC ruled that the petition failed to meet constitutional requirements.
The election umpire emphasised that the petition was reviewed in line with its 2024 Regulations and Guidelines for Recall, ensuring due process and fairness.
While serving her suspension, the Federal Government sued her for alleging that former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello and Akpabio planned to assassinate her.
The ICIR reported that in the suit, a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on Thursday, June 19, granted her a ₦50 million bail.
The bail came after she pleaded not guilty to an alleged defamation charge preferred against her.
In the ruling, the judge, Chizoba Orji, granted the female lawmaker bail with one surety, who must be a “responsible resident” of the FCT and have landed property in the nation’s capital.
The judge adjourned the case to September 23, 2025, for continuation of the trial.
In a similar suit, a Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, June 30, granted bail to her on self-recognition.
The senator finally got relief on Friday, July 4, when a Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja ordered the Nigerian Senate to recall her.
The judge, Binta Nyako, described as extreme the six-month suspension imposed on the lawmaker by the Senate.
The judge faulted the provision in Chapter 8 of the Senate Standing Rules, as well as Section 14 of the Legislative Houses, Powers, and Privileges Act, declaring both to be overextending.
The court, however, fined her N5 million for contempt.
Despite the court’s ruling condemning her suspension, the Senate has outlined conditions for her reinstatement.
The Senate spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, said that the Red Chamber would not reinstate her immediately.
Adaramodu noted that the court judgment did not override the Senate’s constitutional powers to discipline its members.
Akpoti-Uduaghan vowed to resume at the Senate on Tuesday, July 8, but she failed to do so.
A reporter with the ICIR
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