The Nigerian Senate has appointed Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations, succeeding Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who remains suspended from her duties.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the change during Thursday’s plenary session, confirming Bassey’s elevation to the role. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, had been reassigned to this committee in February after a minor reshuffle removed her from the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Local Content.
Although the Senate did not provide an official explanation for her removal this week, sources link the decision to her unresolved suspension status. Earlier this year, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ruled that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was “excessive and unconstitutional,” ordering her reinstatement and mandating an apology to the Senate. However, the Senate insists it has yet to receive a certified true copy of the judgment, delaying her return to the chamber.
In a recent televised interview, Akpoti-Uduaghan explained that she is awaiting the official court documents before resuming her legislative responsibilities, emphasizing her respect for legal and institutional processes.
She lamented the ongoing exclusion from the Senate, stating, “By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central—it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight.”
A legal opinion from the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), dated July 5, argues that the court ruling does not compel the Senate to reinstate her immediately, further complicating the matter.
Senator Aniekan Bassey, who represents Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District, now assumes leadership of the Diaspora and NGOs Committee as the political standoff continues.
Okay.ng reports that this development underscores ongoing tensions between judicial rulings and legislative procedures within Nigeria’s Senate.
