Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has regained access to her National Assembly office, but her return to Senate plenary may hinge on conditions set by the leadership.
Her office, which had been sealed since March following her six-month suspension over alleged misconduct, was reopened on Tuesday by the Deputy Director of the Sergeant-at-Arms, Alabi Adedeji, acting on instructions from Senate authorities.
The reopening comes after growing pressure from colleagues and stakeholders calling for clarity on her status.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan said she has not yet received formal communication on any conditions for resuming her duties.
She expressed concern over reports suggesting the leadership may demand an apology, insisting that she cannot apologize for what she views as an injustice.
She said: “I have not been communicated. The last communication I had from the clerk was that I won’t be allowed access to resume because the matter was still pending at the Appeal.
“So I’m still awaiting the letter because it’s good to understand the conditions that they might set illegally concerning the reopening of this my office because as I said earlier I read on the papers, I think it’s Vanguard to be specific, that the leadership meeting was held yesterday and that the Minority Leader Senator Abba Moro upon resumption on the 7th of October would move a motion for me to apologize.
“So I’m actually worried as to what apology they need from me. You can’t apologise for injustice.”
The senator also criticized Senate President Godswill Akpabio for his treatment during the suspension period, saying he treated her like a domestic worker rather than an equal member of the legislature.
She described the situation as reflective of a leadership style that she considers authoritarian and said she remained committed to serving Kogi Central effectively despite the suspension.
She said: “Senator Akpabio is not more of a senator than I am, he is not the governor of this place and he treated me as if I was his servant or domestic staff in his house.
“It’s very unfortunate that at this time after so many years of democracy we will have a National Assembly been runned by such dictatorship, it’s totally unacceptable.”
