Senate Replaces Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as Diaspora Committee Chair
The Senate has officially replaced suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations, appointing Senator Aniekan Bassey in her place.
The announcement was made by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary on Thursday, marking a significant reshuffle within the upper legislative chamber.
Senator Bassey, who represents Akwa Ibom North-East, now steps into the role previously held by Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current National Assembly. She had been reassigned to the Diaspora Committee in February, following her earlier removal from the Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content.
Though the Senate offered no official explanation for Thursday’s replacement, the development is widely believed to be linked to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lingering suspension, which remains unresolved despite a court ruling in her favour.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ruled her suspension “excessive and unconstitutional” and ordered her reinstatement. However, the Senate has maintained that it is yet to receive a Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment and therefore considers the matter unresolved.
Speaking during a televised interview earlier this week, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the CTC before returning to the chamber, citing legal counsel and a desire to follow due process.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central—it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
However, a legal opinion dated July 5, allegedly issued by Senate counsel Paul Daudu (SAN), contended that the court’s ruling lacked binding force compelling immediate enforcement.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, remains in limbo despite the judicial pronouncement, as political and legal complexities continue to delay her reinstatement.
