The Office of the Clerk to the National Assembly has distanced itself from the controversy surrounding the possible resumption of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, insisting that it has no powers to facilitate her return to legislative duties.
In a statement signed by the Director of Information, Bulah Audu Bi-Allah, on Monday, the Clerk’s Office said recent public commentary and media reports had misrepresented its constitutional role in the matter.
The office explained that its responsibilities are strictly administrative and guided by the Standing Orders of the Senate as well as the 1999 Constitution, stressing that it cannot review, reverse, or interpret decisions of the upper chamber.
“The Clerk does not possess the authority to review, reverse or interpret Senate decisions,” the statement clarified.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had attempted to resume duties on September 4, 2025, following the expiration of her six-month suspension imposed by the Senate on March 6. However, her return sparked a fresh round of debate over procedure and legality.
According to the Clerk’s Office, her communication was duly forwarded to the Senate leadership, but the matter remains within the exclusive jurisdiction of the lawmakers themselves or, in the alternative, the courts.
“The determination of whether Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan can resume her legislative duties as of right without any further or fresh resolution of the Senate, following the expiration of her six-month suspension, lies solely with the Senate and not with the Office of the Clerk to the National Assembly,” the statement read.
