Updated: Senate Removes Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan As Committee Chair

Strong indications have emerged that there are more troubles for suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) as the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has removed her as Chairman, Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs.

With this development yesterday, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was removed as Chairman of Local Content Committee in February and taken to chair the Diaspora and NGOs Committee, will resume without heading any committee.

Following her earlier removal as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was appointed chair of the Diaspora and NGOs Committee on February 4, 2025.

Akpabio, who announced the decision during plenary with no official reason given for the change, said, “The new chairman is Distinguished Senator Aniekan Bassey, and it will take effect from today,” he said.

While hinting at a broader reshuffling of committee positions, Akpabio said a review of Vice chairmanships would be undertaken in the coming week to ensure a more equitable distribution.

He said, “We will make some changes to our vice chairmanship positions next week. Some of the senators have two vice chairmanship positions. Every senator should either be a chairman or a vice chairman so we balance the situation.”

Before this decision yesterday, the Senate on Tuesday this week began moves for the legislative amendment process of its in-house rules.

This time, strong indications emerged that this time, the Senate was going for tougher disciplinary measures against erring Senators.

This was sequel to the first reading of a bill by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Special Duties, Senator Shehu Lawan Kaka, APC, Borno Central, titled, “Legislative Houses (Powers & Privileges) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025 (SB. 708).”

The Senate’s move in this direction came five days after Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja, queried the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act used to suspend Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months which, according to her, was not specified in the Act.

The new step by the Upper Chamber will be a way of addressing the lacuna.

The bill titled “Re-tightening Disciplinary Measures against Erring Members and other related matters”, as explained by Senator Kaka in a telephone interview with journalists, aimed at ensuring the required specifications on punitive measures to be taken against any erring members.

“Amendments being sought on some provisions of the Legislative Houses ( Powers and Privileges ) Act is to fine-tune the already existing laws by injecting the required specifics into disciplinary provisions in terms of duration “, he said.

Being an urgently needed legislation, it may be slated for second reading in plenary on Wednesday.

Recall that Justice Nyako in her ruling on Friday last week on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension by the Senate, said the six months slammed on her was excessive and that the House rule upon which the disciplinary action was based does not specify duration.

She consequently urged the Senate to recall her from the suspension.

Also, recall that on March 6, 2025, the Senate suspended Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months amid the sexual harassment allegation she made against Akpabio.

The suspension came after a recommendation from the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions, as presented by the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Neda Imasuen (APC, Edo South).

As part of the suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s salary and security details were withdrawn, and she was barred from accessing the National Assembly premises.

Her office was also locked and her legislative aides were not to receive their salaries during this period. The Senate further ruled out reconsidering her suspension until the six-month term ends or she submits a formal apology.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension followed a heated confrontation in the Senate, where she protested the reassignment of her seat by Akpabio. She arrived at a plenary session to find her nameplate removed and her seat reassigned, which she argued was an attempt to silence her.

Her suspension was put to a vote after she was denied the opportunity to speak, with the majority siding with the Ethics Committee’s report.

Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro supported the committee’s recommendation, stating that her actions warranted disciplinary action. He likened the move to “correcting a child,” referencing Nigerian cultural norms.

To appeal the suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan must submit a written apology to the Senate for allegedly violating its rules.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, who has been on suspension since March, is yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.

In an interview on Tuesday, she said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.