Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, on Tuesday resumed duties at the National Assembly after months of suspension, accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of running the upper chamber like a “dictator.”
Her return followed the unsealing of her office in Suite 2.05 of the Senate Wing by the Deputy Director of the Sergeant-at-Arms, Alabi Adedeji. The office had been under lock since March 6, when she was suspended over alleged misconduct.
Speaking after regaining access, Natasha declared that she owed no apology for her actions.
“No one is more Nigerian than I am. Senator Akpabio is not more of a senator than I am. He is not the governor of this place, yet he treated me as if I were domestic staff in his house. It is so unfortunate that the National Assembly is being run by such a dictator. It is totally unacceptable,” she said.
The senator had been suspended in March following her protest against the reassignment of her seat by Akpabio during plenary. Although the six-month suspension elapsed in September, she remained locked out due to legal and administrative tussles.
On July 4, the Federal High Court in Abuja declared her suspension unconstitutional and excessive, but attempts to return were rebuffed until Tuesday’s development.
It remains unclear if Natasha will be allowed to sit with her colleagues when plenary resumes on October 7.
