CRISIS began for Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti, Uduaghan, on Thursday, February 20, 2025, when she protested against the reassignment of her Senate seat without prior notice.
She resisted the change, calling it an attempt to silence her, while Senate Chief Whip, Tahir Monguno, justified the move, citing Senate rules and party affiliations.
Her protest led to a heated exchange with Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, who ordered the sergeant-at-arms to remove her from the chamber.
This led to the Senate unanimously referring her to the Ethics Committee for disciplinary review, which later recommended her suspension.
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 at plenary sessions.
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.
Although the Kogi senator, on Wednesday, March 5, submitted an official petition regarding the sexual harassment and abuse of office by Akpabio, the Ethics Committee threw out the petition, citing key procedural oversights that allegedly undermined the petition’s legitimacy.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, however, resubmitted the petition, shortly before her suspension.
Suspended for six months despite a court order
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.
The court, presided over by Obiora Egwuatu, had on March 5 issued an injunction stopping the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions from proceeding with its probe.
The ruling followed an ex parte application filed by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team.
However, the Senate went ahead with the investigation and, based on the committee’s findings presented by Neda Imasuen, voted to suspend the Kogi lawmaker for violating Senate rules.
The suspension, expected to take effect from March 6, meant that the female lawmaker will be barred from accessing the National Assembly premises and her office will be locked.
The punishment also extended to her salary and those of her legislative aides being withheld for the duration of the suspension.
The Senate further ruled that Akpoti-Uduaghan will not be allowed to represent Nigeria in any official capacity while serving the suspension.
The committee noted that she might submit a written apology, which could lead to a review of the suspension.
A failed attempt to recall her
Amid her suspension from the senate, a petition to recall her from the senate was submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by a group of registered voters from her region.
The move marked a significant attempt to remove her from office.
The petition dated 21 March 2025 was submitted on Monday, March 24, at the INEC headquarters in Abuja.
The petition was submitted by a group known as Concerned Kogi Youth and Women.
The group in the petition addressed to the INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, demanded the recall of Akpoti-Uduaghan.
According to the petitioners, the petition for her recall was filed under Section 68 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and INEC’s guidelines for recall petitions.
However, in a statement issued on Thursday, April 3, 2025, INEC ruled that the petition failed to meet constitutional requirements.
INEC emphasised that the petition was reviewed in line with its 2024 Regulations and Guidelines for Recall, ensuring due process and fairness.
With the petition failing to meet the constitutional requirement, INEC stated that no further action would be taken regarding the senator’s recall.
The homecoming
The ICIR reports that despite a police order asking Akpoti-Uduaghan to cancel her homecoming rally, a Kogi State ban on public gatherings, and a curfew imposed in the Okehi Local Government Area where her residence is located, hundreds of her supporters welcomed her with jubilation on April 1 at her Ihima home.
At the rally, she called on Nigerians to hold Governor Ahmed Ododo of Kogi state, former Governor Yahaya Bello, and Senate President Akpabio ‘wholly’ accountable for any violence that may arise during her homecoming event in her state.
She warned that if the rally was infiltrated by violence, the aforementioned political figures should be held responsible.
The event saw her supporters dancing and chanting in her honour, defying the security restrictions and ban, which many Nigerians see as political intimidation.
The Police Command, in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, William Aya, and released to journalists hours before the rally, said the rally was against the state government’s ban on political gatherings issued on Monday, March 31.
Similarly, the order was followed with a curfew in the Okehi Local Government Area, which restricted movement and gatherings, particularly near Akpoti-Uduaghan’s residence.
Despite the restrictions on vehicle convoys, public gatherings, and curfew, Akpoti-Uduaghan reached the venue of the rally through a helicopter.
At the rally, she declared that she was not afraid of anyone.
Shortly after her homecoming rally, the Kogi State government declared through the Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, that the senator committed an offence by addressing supporters on Tuesday, March 1, 2025.
Fanwo said that despite her claim of coming to visit her people for Sallah festivities, all her addresses were political to incite the people against constitutional authorities at the federal and state levels to create panic.
According to him, the rally aimed to create tension and ensure that there was violence in the state.
Natasha’s family house attacked in Kogi
On Thursday, April 17, the Kogi State Police Command confirmed an attack on the family house of Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The State Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye, confirmed that gunmen attacked the lawmaker’s family residence in Obeiba Community in Okehi Local Government Area.
Dantawaye disclosed that the command had been fully briefed on the incident by the Okehi LGA Divisional Police Officer, but no arrest had been made.
FG drags suspended Senator to court
The Federal Government filed a criminal suit against Akpoti-Uduaghan over comments she made on national television that were allegedly defamatory.
The case, marked CR/297/25, was filed on May 16, 2025, before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, with Akpoti-Uduaghan listed as the sole defendant.
According to court documents, the government was charging the senator under Section 391 of the Penal Code (Cap 89, Laws of the Federation, 1990) for allegedly “making imputation knowing or having reason to believe that such imputation will harm the reputation of a person.”
The said comments were allegedly made during a live broadcast of Channels Television’s ‘Politics Today’ on April 3, 2025, where Akpoti-Uduaghan was said to have criticised unnamed individuals in a manner the government claimed was defamatory.
The former Kogi governor, Bello, had in April petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun accusing Akpoti-Uduaghan of making defamatory statements against him.
Road to reinstatement
The ICIR reported that in a suit, a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on Thursday, June 19, granted Akpoti-Uduaghan a ₦50 million bail in a case involving her and the Nigerian government.
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, following a case by the federal government against Akpoti-Uduaghan, a Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, June 30, granted bail to her on self-recognition.
She was arraigned on six counts bordering on alleged cybercrime.
The Senator was accused of allegedly making false statements against Senate President Akpabio and Kogi State’s former governor, Bello.
According to the charge, she alleged that Akpabio instructed the Kogi State former governor to ensure that she was harmed in Kogi State rather than in Abuja to mislead investigators about her attackers.
The federal government, which sued the lawmaker on behalf of Akpabio and Bello, stated that her statements, widely shared through digital platforms, were knowingly false and intended to initiate unrest.
The judge, Mohammed Umar, proceeded to grant the request of the defence counsel and granted the senator bail on self-recognition.
The court adjourned until September 22 for the commencement of the trial.
The Senator finally got relief on Friday, July 4 when a Federal High Court (FHC) in Abuja ordered the Nigerian Senate to recall her back to the Senate.
The judge, Binta Nyako, described as extreme the six-month suspension that was 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 ruled that Senate President Akpabio acted correctly in denying Akpoti-Uduaghan the opportunity to speak during plenary since she wasn’t seated in her designated seat and ordered Akpoti-Uduaghan to apologise to the Senate.
Nyako added that the two pieces of legislation failed to identify the maximum period that a serving lawmaker could be suspended from office.
The court noted that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension effectively kept her from her legislative duties for about 180 days, given the 181-days sitting requirement for lawmakers per cycle.
According to the court, while the Senate has the authority to discipline its members, any sanction imposed must be proportionate and not excessively deprive constituents of their representation.
Earlier, the court fined Akpoti-Uduaghan ₦5 million for contempt over a satirical apology to Akpabio that she posted on her Facebook page on April 27, 2025.
Senate sets conditions for Natasha’s return
Meanwhile, despite a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja that nullified her six-month suspension, the Senate has outlined conditions for the reinstatement of Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Senate Spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu said that the Red Chamber would not reinstate the embattled Akpoti-Uduaghan immediately.
Adaramodu noted that the court judgment did not override the Senate’s constitutional powers to discipline its members.
However, Adaramodu explained that the Senate would only reconvene to deliberate on the issue once Akpoti-Uduaghan complies with the court’s directives. The big question, however is, will the ebattled senator bounce back to occupy her seat in the Red chamber?
A reporter with the ICIR
A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance