‘Court backed me’ — Natasha insists on senate resumption despite Akpabio’s appeal

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan says she will resume plenary on Tuesday, July 22, in line with a court ruling, despite an appeal filed by Senate President Godswill Akpabio challenging the decision.

The Kogi Central lawmaker, who was suspended in March over allegations of misconduct, told The PUNCH during a constituency programme on Saturday that she had notified the Senate of her planned return.

“I have pretty much two months more before the six months expire. However, I have written to the Senate again telling them that I’m resuming on the 22nd, which is on Tuesday, by the special grace of God,” she said.

“I will be there, because the court did make the decision on that. Now, they argue that it’s an order, it’s not an order, but it is a decision.”

Akpoti-Uduaghan maintained that although the suspension did not stop her from carrying out constituency projects, it limited her legislative work.

“I did mention that every senator has three major functions. Legislative, which is the creation of laws and review of treaties,” she said.

“Then we have oversight, which is to oversee ministers and agencies. And then the third is representation, which I’m doing.

“Whereby I identify the problems and the challenges of my community, and I make sure I present them and have them captured in the federal budget.

“And I have done pretty well with that. Of course, I do miss putting up my bills there, but it didn’t stop me from working.”

A federal high court recently ruled that her suspension was illegal. But the Senate has since filed an appeal.

Akpoti-Uduaghan insists the appeal does not negate the ruling and says she remains committed to performing her legislative duties.