The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged the senator representing Kogi central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to get ready to resume her duties at the Senate.
Recall that Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate for six months, starting from March 6, 2025. The six months elapsed on Friday, September 5, 2025.
However, attempts by the senator to resume her duties are being frustrated by the leadership of the Senate.
A September 4, 2025 memo, signed by the Acting Clerk to the National Assembly, Yahaya Danzaria, and addressed to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, stated that the senator would not be allowed to resume her duties.
According to the memo, the case between her and the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, is still pending before the Court of Appeal, and that she cannot resumed until the matter is resolved.
But a statement on Tuesday by the spokesman of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, condemned the actions of the Clerk to the Assembly as conveyed by his memo. It urged the lawmaker to ignore the Clerk’s memo.
“This reported action by the Clerk of the National Assembly smacks of a calculated attempt being orchestrated by the Senator Akpabio-led All Progressives Congress (APC) Senate leadership to abridge the right of representation of the people of Kogi Central Senatorial District and deny them a voice at the highest law-making body in the country.
“The attempt to use the National Assembly establishment against an elected Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in gross violation of the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,1999 (as amended) and the Standing Rules of the Senate is highly provocative and constitutes a clear and present danger to democracy and overall stability of our country.
“It also comes as parts of the antics being deployed severally by the APC-controlled Senate and the Federal Government to suffocate the opposition which further confirms the creeping totalitarianism in our country under the APC government.
“The reported action by the Clerk of the National Assembly against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan further brings to the fore the allegations of attacks on the right of women and sustained attempts to stifle their voices as witnessed in the various accusations of harassment against women levelled against the current Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio over the years,” the PDP said.
The party demanded that the Senate President should come clean on the various allegations of sexual harassment against him, instead of seeking to use the National Assembly establishment to further harass, intimidate and keep Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan away from the Senate.
Continuing, the PDP said, “The extreme persecution of six months suspension unjustly imposed on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, contrary to the Rules of the Senate is more than enough and the PDP stands with the people of Kogi Central and all well-meaning Nigerians in condemning this unwarranted renewed attack on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
“Our party strongly cautions the Clerk of the National Assembly to withdraw the said letter and play by the rules by being neutral as a bureaucrat and not allow himself to be politically entangled and used as a tool to undermine democracy and the Rule of Law in the National Assembly and Nigeria.
“The PDP calls on the International Community, Democracy Institutions, Right Advocacy Groups and other democracy development partners to rise up in condemnation of this renewed attack on Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
“While charging Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan to discountenance the reported letter by the Clerk of the National Assembly and get ready to resume at the Senate, the PDP demands that the Senate leadership ensures that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is allowed to resume her duties and perform her roles as an elected Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria unhindered.”
