The Senate has removed Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) as Chair of its Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organizations, replacing her with Senator Aniekan Bassey (APC, Akwa Ibom North).
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the leadership change at the close of plenary on Thursday, stating that the replacement takes immediate effect.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has been under suspension since March 2025 for alleged gross misconduct and violation of Senate rules. Her six-month suspension has been the subject of both political and legal attention.
Last week Friday, a Federal High Court in Abuja fined the suspended lawmaker N5 million for contempt of court and ordered her to publish a formal apology to the Senate in two national newspapers and on her Facebook page.
Earlier this week, a separate ruling by another Federal High Court also upheld the Senate’s decision to suspend Akpoti-Uduaghan, affirming the chamber’s authority to discipline its members for conduct violations.
Both the Senate and Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan have indicated that they will review the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the latest judgment before determining their next steps.
