Clerk of National Assembly refutes involvement in Natasha’s blockade

Clerk of National Assembly refutes involvement in Natasha’s blockade

The Office of the Clerk to the National Assembly has disclaimed reports alleging it holds the authority to decide whether suspended Kogi Central senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, can return to legislative duties.

In a statement released Monday in Abuja, the Director of Information, Mullah Bi-Allah, speaking on behalf of the Clerk’s office, explained that its role is purely administrative and does not extend to overturning or interpreting Senate resolutions.

“The Clerk has no mandate to review, reverse, or interpret decisions of the Senate,” the statement emphasized.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, a first-term senator elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, was suspended by the Senate on March 6, 2025, after a resolution barring her from parliamentary activities for six months.

Although the suspension was challenged in court, the Federal High Court did not invalidate the decision, and the matter is still pending at the Court of Appeal.

On September 4, the lawmaker wrote to the Clerk of the National Assembly, notifying the office of her intention to resume.

However, the Clerk noted that such communication should ordinarily be addressed to the Senate President in line with parliamentary protocol.

The statement explained, “This office relayed the matter to the Senate leadership, which observed that the case is still pending before the Court of Appeal (sub judice). Therefore, any change in her status must come either through a new Senate resolution or a clear court order. The Clerk’s letter only reflected this position — nothing more, nothing less. As such, the Clerk cannot facilitate her resumption at this time.”

Bi-Allah further expressed concern over a petition submitted by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team, M. J. Numa & Partners LLP, accusing the Clerk’s office of exceeding its mandate and threatening disciplinary action.

In his response, he stressed: “It should be made clear that the question of whether Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan can resume legislative duties automatically after her six-month suspension, without an additional resolution, rests solely with the Senate, not with the Clerk to the National Assembly.”

Reiterating its neutrality, the statement affirmed that the Clerk remains committed to “the principles of constitutionalism, institutional respect, and the rule of law,” while urging the public to allow the Senate and the courts to address the matter.