BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – Following the recent Court ruling quashing her suspension, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan will returning to the Senate stripped of her committee’s Chairmanship seat.
In her place, the upper Legislative chamber has named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Announcing the fresh appointment during Thursday’s plenary, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, confirmed that Senator Bassey is replacing Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, still serving the court declared illegal suspension.
Senator Natasha was moved to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after her removal as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Senator Bassey represents Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District and no reason was given for his appointment to replace Natasha on Thursday.
Insider sources said it is clear that the development is connected to her court ordered return to legislative duties earlier than the Senate expected.
On Friday, 4th July 2025, a Federal High Court in Abuja ruled that the Nigerian Senate acted beyond its powers by suspending Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months.
Ordering her immediate recall to the Red Chamber, Justice Binta Nyako, who delivered the judgment, described the duration of the suspension as “excessive” and without a clear legal foundation.
According to Justice Nyako, both Chapter 8 of the Senate Standing Orders and Section 14 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, which the upper chamber relied upon, do not stipulate a maximum suspension period. As such, they were deemed overreaching in this case.
However, Justice Nyako, while ordering her reinstatement, directed her to tender an apology to the Senate that has so far insisted that a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the court judgment is yet to be in its possession.
Meanwhile, in a televised interview on Tuesday, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan also claimed to be awaiting the judgment’s CTC before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it is denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” the Kogi Central lawmaker said.
