Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has returned to the Nigerian Senate after serving a six-month suspension.
The senator made her comeback on Tuesday as the upper chamber resumed plenary following a 10-week recess, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio presiding.
Akpoti-Uduaghan appeared cheerful as she walked into the chamber and exchanged pleasantries with colleagues.
Prominent activist Aisha Yesufu was seen in the gallery showing support, while other loyalists were reportedly denied entry.
Her return marks the end of a controversial suspension that drew national attention earlier in 2025.
The senator was suspended in March 2025 for alleged misconduct linked to her protest against the reassignment of her seat by the Senate President on February 20, 2025.
During her suspension, her office—Suite 2.05 in the Senate Wing—remained locked from March 6, 2025, until her reinstatement.
With her reinstatement, political observers are watching to see how Akpoti-Uduaghan reasserts her influence in the red chamber and continues her advocacy as one of Nigeria’s most outspoken female lawmakers.
