Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, was back in the legislature on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, just hours after her Suite 2.05 office in the Senate Wing was inaugurated by the National Assembly.
The restoration followed political stress for weeks following her suspension, which had actually excluded her from attending legislative business and using her office. In spite of the restoration, Senator Natasha was not without a rebellious tone since she continued to claim that she would not present any apology for what she had done before the suspension.
“I have nothing to apologize for. My stance is still in accordance with the principles that I swore to uphold as a senator of the Federal Republic,” she said entering her office for the first time since the sanction was lifted.
Her suspension had generated a lot of public outcry, as most of her sympathizers referred to it as political and as an attempt to silence a loud critic of the establishment. Civil society organizations and women’s rights organizations had also risen in her defense, noting that the suspension went to highlight the struggle for female politicians to find their voice in a patriarchal political sphere.
The action by the Senate leadership to unseal her office is seen as a major development in her political career. It is being seen as a signal of thawing of position on the part of National Assembly leadership as a result of mounting calls for inclusiveness, equity, and respect for opposition within Nigeria’s democratic heritage.
For Senator Natasha, however, the way forward remains clear. She has vowed to return to her legislative duties without fear or compromise, vowing that her determination to protect the people of Kogi Central remains unshakeable.
Political watchers say her return could reignite controversies in the Senate over transparency, accountability, and treatment of outspoken legislators, particularly women who are subject to special scrutiny in politics.
