The National Assembly clerk has refused to allow suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to return to work, saying only the Senate or a court can authorise her comeback.
The Office of the Clerk to the National Assembly made the statement on Monday in response to attempts by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to return to legislative work.
Bullah Bi-Allah, Director of Information in the clerk’s office, said the secretariat had received media reports, public comments, and a petition from the senator’s lawyers concerning her suspension and efforts to get back into the chamber.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central constituency, was suspended by the Senate on 6 March for six months over allegations of “gross misconduct.” Her lawyers have challenged the decision in court, but no final ruling has been made to overturn the suspension.
Bi-Allah emphasised that the clerk’s office serves purely as an administrative support system for the Senate, following its decisions and the country’s constitution. He said the office has no power to review, reverse, or interpret decisions made by senators.
The suspended senator wrote to the clerk’s office on 4 September saying she intended to resume legislative duties. Although she could have written directly to the Senate President, her letter was forwarded to the chamber’s leadership.
Senate leaders noted that the case remains before the Court of Appeal and made it clear that any change to her suspension would require either a new Senate decision or a definitive court order.
“This communication was what the clerk to the National Assembly conveyed in the letter, no more, no less. The clerk is therefore not in a position to facilitate her resumption at this time,” the statement read.
Bi-Allah said the office was disappointed by correspondence from Akpoti-Uduaghan’s lawyers, who accused the clerk of overstepping boundaries and threatened legal and disciplinary action.
He insisted that the clerk had always acted within legal limits and proper procedures, stressing that only the Senate itself has the authority to decide when the senator can return.
The Federal High Court has not invalidated the suspension, and no binding order has been issued to set aside the Senate’s decision, according to Bi-Allah.
He called on the public to be patient and allow both the Senate and the courts to carry out their responsibilities according to the law.