The Office of the Clerk to the National Assembly has clarified its position in the controversy surrounding the suspension and attempted resumption of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, insisting it lacks powers to reinstate her without due process.
In a statement signed by Bullah Audu Bi-Allah, Director of Information, on behalf of the Clerk, the office said it had been wrongly portrayed in some media reports and public commentary as obstructing the senator’s return.
“The Clerk’s Office serves strictly as an administrative arm, providing support to the Senate in accordance with their resolutions, Standing Orders, and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
The Clerk does not possess the authority to review, reverse, or interpret Senate decisions,” the statement read.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, was suspended for six months by the Senate on March 6, 2025. Although she challenged the action in court, the Federal High Court did not invalidate the suspension, and the matter remains before the Court of Appeal.
On September 4, 2025, she wrote to the Clerk, notifying of her intention to resume legislative duties. The Clerk explained that while she could have directed such communication to the Senate President as protocol demands, the matter was duly conveyed to Senate leadership.
According to the Clerk’s Office, the Senate leadership maintained that the issue remains sub judice, and any change in her status must come from either a new Senate resolution or a definitive court order.
“This communication was what the Clerk to the National Assembly conveyed in the letter, no more, no less.
The Clerk is therefore not in a position to facilitate her resumption at this time,” the statement clarified.
The office also expressed concern over a letter from Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal representatives, M.J. Numa & Partners LLP, accusing the Clerk of overreach and threatening legal and disciplinary action.
“While the office respects the right of all parties to seek legal redress, it must be stressed that the Clerk has at all times acted within lawful administrative limits, and in faithful observance of due process,” it stated.
Reiterating that the decision on her resumption rests solely with the Senate, the Clerk emphasized that its role is limited to administration and not adjudication.
“The public is urged to remain patient and allow the appropriate institutions including the Senate and the courts to discharge their constitutional responsibilities,” the statement concluded.
