Our reporter
The Nigerian Senate has refused to allow Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to resume legislative duties, insisting her suspension remains in force pending the outcome of her appeal in court.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, had completed a six-month suspension imposed in March after a stormy episode in the chamber and subsequent allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In a letter signed by the Acting Clerk of the Senate, the upper chamber made it clear that the lawmaker would not be reinstated until the Court of Appeal rules on her case.
Her suspension followed the recommendations of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, which accused her of breaching parliamentary rules. She was punished for refusing to sit in her designated seat and for publicly accusing the Senate President of sexual harassment in a televised interview.
The sanctions against her were sweeping: suspension without pay for six months, closure of her office, withdrawal of security details, and a ban from accessing the National Assembly complex. She was also barred from addressing local or international media as a senator.
The committee further directed that she must submit a written apology before being considered for reinstatement.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who maintains that her suspension is politically motivated, has challenged the Senate’s decision at the Court of Appeal.