- The Kogi senator said suspension hindered legislative roles but not her constituency work or federal budget input.
- She insisted the senate must obey court decision declaring her suspension unconstitutional.
The senator representing Kogi central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has announced her intention to resume plenary on Tuesday.
The senator said she had notified the senate of her decision to return, adding that her letter was formally submitted.
Speaking on Saturday during a training event in her constituency, Akpoti-Uduaghan said the court’s decision supported her return.
“I have pretty much two months more before the six months expire,” she was quoted as saying by Channels Television.
“However, I have written to the senate again telling them that I’m resuming on the 22nd, which is on Tuesday, by the special grace of God.
“I will be there, because the court did make the decision on that. Now, they argue that it’s an order — it’s not an order, but it is a decision.”
She explained that although the suspension did not stop her from carrying out constituency work, it limited her participation in legislative duties.
She stated that she was unable to sponsor motions and bills on the floor of the senate during the period of suspension.
“I did mention that every senator has three major functions — legislative, which is the creation of laws and review of treaties,” she said.
“Then we have oversight — which is to oversee ministers and agencies. And then the third is representation — which I’m doing.
“Whereby I identify the problems and the challenges of my community, and I make sure I present them and have them captured in the federal budget. And I have done pretty well with that.
“Of course, I do miss putting up my bills there, but it didn’t stop me from working.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on March 6 over an alleged breach of the senate’s standing rules.
The suspension followed her sexual harassment allegation against the senate president, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
She later filed a case against the suspension in court.
In July, the federal high court in Abuja ruled that her suspension was unconstitutional and ordered her reinstatement.
Senate President Akpabio has since approached the court of appeal to challenge the ruling.
Discussion about this post