Senate President Akpabio Replaces Senator Natasha As Committee Chair.
On Thursday, 10 July 2025, Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the removal of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). The decision, revealed during a plenary session in Abuja, saw Senator Aniekan Bassey, representing Akwa Ibom North-East, appointed as her successor, effective immediately.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing Kogi Central, has faced a turbulent period in the Senate. This marks the second time she has been stripped of a committee leadership role. Initially, she chaired the Senate Committee on Local Content, a key position tied to Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, before being reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February 2025. Her latest removal leaves her without a committee leadership position as she resumes her legislative duties.
The announcement follows a Federal High Court ruling on 4 July 2025, which ordered the Senate to lift Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension, deeming it excessive. The court also fined her five million naira (£2,500) for violating a gag order related to her suspension case. The suspension, imposed in March 2025, stemmed from allegations of “unruly and disruptive” behaviour during a Senate debate over seating arrangements, though it was widely linked to her accusations of sexual harassment against Senate President Akpabio, which he has consistently denied.
No official reason was provided for her removal from the committee chairmanship, but it is believed to be connected to the ongoing tensions between Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Senate leadership. The Diaspora and NGOs Committee, responsible for overseeing diaspora-related policies and engaging with civil society organisations, had remained largely inactive during her suspension, with the position vacant since March.
Senator Bassey, a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), is expected to bring fresh leadership to the committee. Akpabio also hinted at a broader reshuffle of Senate committee roles, particularly vice chairmanships, to ensure fairer representation among senators.
The decision has sparked mixed reactions. Some view it as a necessary step to stabilise the committee’s operations, while others see it as a continuation of the challenges faced by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only four female senators in Nigeria’s 109-member Senate. Her earlier suspension and the dismissal of her petition against Akpabio for procedural reasons had already drawn criticism from women’s rights groups and civil society organisations, who called for a transparent investigation into her allegations.
As Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan prepares to return to the Senate floor, the focus remains on her resilience and commitment to serving her Kogi Central constituents. The court’s ruling and her latest removal underscore the complexities of gender dynamics and power struggles within Nigeria’s political landscape.
