A jubilant crowd of supporters on Tuesday marched with Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to celebrate the reopening of her National Assembly office, six months after her suspension from the Senate.
The Kogi Central lawmaker, who had earlier attended proceedings at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in a defamation case filed against her by the Federal Government on behalf of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello, was escorted by cheering supporters to the National Assembly complex.
Her office in Suite 2.05 of the Senate Wing was unsealed earlier in the day by Deputy Director of the Sergeant-at-Arms, Alabi Adedeji, a move seen as paving the way for her possible return when plenary resumes on October 7.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s office had remained locked since March following her six-month suspension for alleged misconduct after protesting the reassignment of her Senate seat. The decision triggered backlash from civil society groups and opposition figures, who accused the Senate of silencing dissent.
The senator challenged her suspension in court in July but failed to secure an interim order for her reinstatement. Upon completing her suspension earlier this month, she formally informed the Senate of her readiness to resume duties.
In its response, however, the Senate leadership insisted that the matter was still before the courts and that no administrative action could be taken until the judicial process is concluded.
For her supporters, Tuesday’s unsealing of her office represents a symbolic victory and a step closer to her full reinstatement in the Red Chamber.
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