Natasha takes battle against Akpabio to UN Inter-Parliamentary Union

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan took the battle against Senate President Godswill over her suspension from the Senate for six months notches higher on Tuesday with her appearance at the at the Inter-Parliamentary Union Meeting (IPU) at the United Nations, in New York .

Natasha Akpoti told parliamentarians at the IPU in a very emotional voice that she was suspended by the Senate over her allegation of sexual harassments against Akpabio.

Sounding very emotional, the Senator did not speak on the controversies over seating arrangements in the legislative chamber and her alleged violation of Senate rules

Natasha who spoke at the IPU’S Women in Parliament session said she was suspended illegally because she submitted a petition for sexual harassment against the President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

“Five days ago, on the 6th of March 2025, I was suspended as a senator illegally because I submitted a petition of sexual harassment against the president of the Nigerian senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

“I thought that by submitting the petition, he would recuse himself and both of us would submit ourselves to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petition for a fair, transparent investigation. But unfortunately, I was silenced and I was suspended,” she told the IPU members.

“But unfortunately, I was silenced, and I was suspended for six months among many other stringent conditions, such as taking away my security, taking away all the official vehicles and other items that were handed over to me as a senator.

“My salary would be cut off. I must not appear anywhere near the national assembly. And for six months, I am not to present myself as a senator locally in Nigeria and internationally. I am here illegally, and I have no other place to go but to come here.”

“This is a clear case of political victimisation, punishment for speaking out against impunity, corruption and gender-based violence,” she added.

“That means I’m here illegally, but I have no other place to go but to come here and speak to you because this is a bigger picture.

This is a bigger picture. It depicts the crisis of women’s political representation. My suspension is not just about me. It’s about the systemic exclusion of women from political leadership in Nigeria,” the Kogi lawmaker added.

She also expressed worry about her security, claiming that there are indications that she may be held against her will in New York for speaking up on the issue at the global event by “the powers that be” from Nigeria. The Kogi Central Senator also said she will not take the advise of her colleagues who have been asking her to apologise to the Senate President.

While vowing that she will continue to represent her people despite her suspension by the Senate, Natasha vowed to fight on until she secured justice over the allegation of sexual harassments.

‘Not suspended over sexual harassments allegation’

However, the Nigerian Senate had insisted that Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, was not suspended over her sexual harassment allegation against Akpabio.

According to the upper chamber, the senator was suspended due to her flagrant disobedience to Sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended).

In a statement last Saturday, Leader of the senate, Opeyemi Bamidele, said that Akpoti-Uduaghan was also suspended because of her ‘unparliamentary behaviour’ during senate plenaries and proceedings.

The Senate had based Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension for six months on the report of its Committee on Ethics and Privileges.

The senator had last Thursday been suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan over her alleged misconduct and refusal to comply with the senate’s sitting arrangement during the plenary.

The suspension was, however, with a proviso that if the senator could submit a written apology, the leadership of the chamber might consider lifting the suspension before the expiration of the six-month period.

“Rather than submitting to the authority of the senate, Akpoti-Uduaghan had been misinforming the unsuspecting public that she was suspended because she accused the senate president of sexual harassment,” Bamidele said.

She stated that the disciplinary action against Akpoti-Uduaghan was a response to her repeated violations of legislative decorum.

“Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition on sexual harassment failed to meet the clear and established procedural requirements for submitting petitions to the senate.

“It has come to the attention of the senate that some media reports are attempting to falsely suggest that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was due to allegations of sexual harassment.

“This is completely untrue, misleading and a calculated attempt to distort the facts.

“If Akpoti-Uduaghan had strictly followed our guiding principles, the senate would have treated her petition based on merit, in line with its practice.

“But she never obeyed the established practices of the institution where she was serving,” he said.

Bamidele specifically said that the senator’s suspension was the “decision of the Committee of the Whole of the Senate, following the submission of a report by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges.”

The majority leader said that the report found Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of violating Sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (as amended) and recommended her immediate suspension.

“As established in the findings of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, the disciplinary action was a response to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s repeated violations of legislative decorum stated as follows:

“Refusing to sit in her assigned seat during plenary on Feb. 25 in spite of multiple pleas from the Minority Leader and other ranking senators—an act of open defiance and disorderly conduct.

“Speaking without being recognised by the presiding officer, in clear violation of parliamentary practices and procedures on Feb. 25.

“Engaging in unruly and disruptive behaviour, obstructing the orderly conduct of senate proceedings.

“Making abusive and disrespectful remarks against the leadership of the senate.

“Defying and refusing to comply with the summons of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges mandated to investigate cases of misconduct,” the statement said.

Bamidele further stated that contrary to the false claims being circulated, Akpoti-Uduaghan was not suspended for making any sexual harassment or for submitting a petition.

“Her petition was rightfully discountenanced because it failed to meet the clear and established procedural requirements for submitting petitions to the senate,”.he said.