By Sunday Apah
The Senate has officially appointed Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organizations.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the decision during Thursday’s plenary session, confirming that Bassey will take over from Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently facing suspension.
In February, Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee following her removal as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey serves as the senator for the Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District. While no specific reason was provided for Akpoti-Uduaghan’s removal, it is widely believed to be linked to her ongoing suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ruled in favor of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s reinstatement and instructed her to apologize to the Senate. However, the Senate maintains that it has not received an official certified copy of the court’s judgment.
Despite a recent court ruling that invalidated her suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, has not yet returned to her legislative duties. During a televised interview on Tuesday, she stated that she is awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially resuming plenary sessions, emphasizing the importance of legal guidance and adherence to institutional processes.
The Federal High Court criticized her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional,” yet a legal opinion from July 5, attributed to Senate counsel Paul Daudu (SAN), contended that the ruling did not provide a binding directive for her reinstatement.
As one of only three female senators in the current assembly, Akpoti-Uduaghan expressed her concerns regarding the delay in her return, arguing that it not only undermines her mandate but also impacts democratic representation for women and children in Nigeria.
“By excluding me from the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central; it’s denying representation for Nigerian women and children. We’ve diminished from eight female senators to just three,” she remarked.
