Senate President Godswill Akpabio has removed Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organizations. No official reason was provided for the sudden change.
The announcement was made during plenary on Thursday, with Akpabio appointing Senator Bassey Aniekun Etim, representing Akwa Ibom East, as her replacement.
This move comes months after Akpoti-Uduaghan was controversially suspended from the Senate for six months—a decision that sparked nationwide outrage and legal challenges. The Senate seat for Kogi Central, which she represents, had remained unoccupied since March.
Earlier this year, the senator publicly accused Akpabio of sexual harassment, a claim she repeated on Arise TV before submitting a formal petition on the floor of the Senate under Rule 40.
The lawmaker had also alleged that Akpabio was deliberately frustrating her legislative motions in retaliation for her rejection of his alleged advances. Her husband, Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan, had also stepped in to defend her during the public dispute.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Friday, nullified her suspension and asked the Senate to recall her. The court is also expected to deliver judgment on October 3, following a case filed on behalf of her senatorial district.
Akpabio’s silence on the matter has only fueled further suspicions of political vendetta, especially as the Senate leadership faces increasing scrutiny over transparency and accountability.
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