Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan resumes her duties at the National Assembly after completing a six-month suspension, asserting her suspension was “illegal” and thanking supporters for standing by her.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central resumed her duties at the National Assembly on Tuesday, months after a suspension she described as “unjust,” insisting her struggle was about defending democracy and legislative independence.
Her office, located in Suite 2.05 of the Senate Wing, was reopened by Deputy Director of the Sergeant-at-Arms, Alabi Adedeji, signaling her official reinstatement.
Reflecting on the ordeal, Natasha said she owed no apologies for standing her ground.
“In retrospect, it is actually amazing how much we have had to pay in the past six months, from the unjust suspension to the recall. But we survived the recall, blackmail and that crazy lady on Facebook,” she said.
The senator expressed gratitude to her supporters in Kogi Central and across Nigeria, as well as to her husband.
“To my husband, I love you dearly. I pray all men support their wives in the same manner you have supported me,” she added.
While criticizing Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s leadership style, Natasha stressed the larger significance of her return.
“Sometimes it is good to push the institution to the test. We can’t cower in the face of injustice. No one is more Nigerian than us. Senator Akpabio is not more of a senator than I am. It is so unfortunate that we will have a National Assembly being run by such a dictator. It is totally unacceptable.”
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