National Assembly Unseals Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Office, Grants Suspended Lawmaker Entry

The office of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has been reopened by the Sergeant-at-Arms of the National Assembly, supported by a joint team of security personnel.

The office, located in Suite 2.05 of the Senate Wing, had been sealed following her suspension.

The development restores the suspended lawmaker’s access to both her office and the National Assembly complex.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was handed a six-month suspension by the Senate over alleged violations of its standing rules, a move that drew widespread criticism.

Civil society groups, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Afenifere, condemned the Senate’s action, calling it unjust and harmful to democratic values.

The NLC, in particular, described the suspension as “unfair, undemocratic, and a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy.”

A recent court judgment declared the suspension excessive and unconstitutional.

Nonetheless, the Senate had previously insisted that she could not return to duty without either a new Senate resolution or a binding judicial directive.

With the unsealing of her office, Akpoti-Uduaghan is now in a position to re-enter the legislative arena, although her full reinstatement will ultimately hinge on ongoing court proceedings.

Her legal team has emphasized that she poses no flight risk and remains innocent until proven guilty.