The Office of the Clerk to the National Assembly (NASS) has dismissed claims that it has the authority to reinstate suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the Director of Information, Mullah Bi-Allah, explained that the Clerk’s office is only an administrative arm of the legislature and cannot review or reverse Senate resolutions.
“The Clerk does not possess the authority to review, reverse or interpret Senate decisions,” Bi-Allah stated.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, a first-time senator elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was suspended on March 6, 2025, for six months. She challenged the suspension at the Federal High Court, but the court declined to overturn the Senate’s decision. The matter is now pending before the Court of Appeal.
On September 4, the senator wrote to the Clerk, expressing her intention to resume duties. However, the Clerk replied that such communication should be directed to the Senate President, in line with parliamentary procedure.
The statement added:
“This office conveyed the same to the Senate leadership, who noted that the matter remains before the Court of Appeal (sub judice), and that any change in status must either come from a fresh Senate resolution or a definitive court order.”
The Clerk reaffirmed the office’s commitment to constitutional principles, institutional respect, and the rule of law, urging the public to allow the Senate and the courts to handle the issue appropriately.
