Natasha Returns To Senate, Says She Owes No One Apology

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) yesterday resumed legislative duties aft a six-month suspension, declaring that she has nary apology to tender to anyone.

In a chat with journalists successful her office, Natasha stated that if the unsealing of her bureau by the absorption of the National Assembly—particularly the Senate—was meant to compel her to apologise, past “the conflict has conscionable begun.”

“I consciousness blessed and vindicated by having entree to my bureau contiguous for the resumption of legislative duties aft six months of amerciable and unjust suspension.”

She reacted to a paper study which claimed that the Senate met connected Monday and allegedly mandated the Minority Leader to transportation her to apologise connected December 7.

“If the study is true, it means the conflict has conscionable begun, due to the fact that I person nary apology to tender to anybody for a incorrect done to me—not by me—to anyone oregon to the Senate.

“I’m really disquieted astir what benignant of apology they expect from me. You can’t apologise for an injustice. May I punctual the bully radical of Nigeria that the papers that led to my amerciable suspension—the proposal made by the committee led by Senator Neda Imasuen—was really written by the bureau of the Senate President. And the signatures that endorsed the proposal were not willful signatures.

“It was simply an attendance expanse attached to the recommendation, which was past work and utilized to pronounce my suspension. That, to me, is fraud.

“This is conscionable 1 illegality upon another, and I judge we indispensable cull specified things successful Nigeria. So, if they are expecting maine to apologise—and if that is the information for reopening this office—then I deliberation we person a agelong mode to go.”

Senator Natasha added that antiauthoritarian institutions indispensable beryllium tested successful bid not to succumb to injustice, stating: “No 1 is much Nigerian than I oregon anyone else.”

She besides took purpose astatine the Senate President, saying “Akpabio is not much of a Senator than I am. He is not the politician of this spot and cannot dainty maine arsenic if I’m 1 of his servants oregon a home unit successful his house.”

However, she expressed appreciation to Nigerians, particularly governmental leaders and civilian nine figures, who stood by her during the hard period.

“From the unjust suspension to surviving the callback attempts, we survived the blockage of roads and waterways into Kogi—so overmuch truthful that we had to alert successful utilizing a helicopter. We survived the blackmail from the alleged pistillate oregon lady.

“I springiness Almighty God the glory and explicit my deepest appreciation to the bully radical of Kogi Central and Nigerians astatine large—my husband, my children, Mama Oby Ezekwesili, Aunty Aisha Yesufu, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Senator Bukola Saraki, Femi Falana, my beloved enactment PDP, the Labour Party, ADC, and of course, the media. I convey you all.”

Prior to her resumption, Mr. Alabi Adedeji, a Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms, officially unsealed her office—Room 2.05 successful the Senate Wing—at precisely 10:00 a.m.

Senator Natasha was suspended by the Senate connected March 6, 2025, pursuing a proposal from the Senate Committee connected Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, chaired by Senator Neda Imasuen (Edo South).

The committee recovered her blameworthy of unruly behaviour connected the Senate level connected February 20, 2025, during a protestation against spot reallocation ordered by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.