By Abiola Olawale
Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan who was stripped of her role as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organizations, may have to wait for a while until the Senate receives the True Certified Copy of a Court Judgment, ordering her reinstatement.
The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio who announced the change in leadership during Thursday’s plenary session, appointed Senator Aniekan Bassey (APC, Akwa Ibom North-East) as Natasha’s successor with immediate effect.
The Senate says it has authority to effect changes on its administrative process and put in place protocols to manage its affairs.
This marks the second time this year that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has lost a committee chairmanship.
In February, she was relieved of her role as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Local Content and reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee.
Her latest removal leaves her without any committee leadership role, a development that has been linked to her ongoing suspension from the Senate.
Recall that Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for six months over alleged misconduct during a dispute over seating arrangements.
Meanwhile, the suspension has been declared “unconstitutional and illegal” by Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja on July 4, 2025.
The court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to issue a public apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate claims it has not yet received the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment, delaying her return.
