By Onyeanya Ebere Immaculata
The Nigerian Senate has replaced Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as Chair of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations, appointing Senator Aniekan Bassey of Akwa Ibom North-East as her successor.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio made the announcement during plenary on Thursday. Though no official reason was given for the change, it is widely seen as a continuation of the fallout from Akpoti-Uduaghan’s ongoing suspension from Senate activities.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, was originally appointed to the Diaspora Committee in February following her removal as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content.
She was later suspended, a move which sparked legal action.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ruled the suspension excessive and unconstitutional, ordering her reinstatement and directing her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, Senate leadership has insisted that it has not yet received a Certified True Copy (CTC), of the court’s judgment.
Speaking in a televised interview earlier this week, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she is awaiting the official judgment before returning to the Red Chamber, citing legal advice and due process.
Meanwhile, a legal opinion dated July 5 from Senate legal counsel Paul Daudu (SAN), contends that the court ruling does not explicitly compel the Senate to reinstate her.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of just three female senators in the 10th National Assembly, has decried the situation, saying her exclusion undermines her constituents and worsens gender imbalance in governance.
“Excluding me from the Senate isn’t just a disservice to Kogi Central, it’s a setback for the representation of Nigerian women and children. We’ve gone from eight female senators to just three,” she stated.
