By Abiola Olawale
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District of Kogi State at the Senate, has escalated her ongoing dispute with the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, by taking her case to the global stage, addressing the United Nations Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.
The senator, who was suspended from the Nigerian Senate last week, described her suspension as “illegal” and called for international intervention during the Women in Parliament session held at the United Nations in New York.
The New Diplomat reports that the controversy stems from Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations against Akpabio, which include claims of sexual harassment and abuse of office, as well as her subsequent six-month suspension from the Senate.
According to the senator, her suspension came shortly after she submitted a petition against Akpabio, accusing him of inappropriate advances and retaliatory behaviour.
She argued that her removal from the Senate was an attempt to silence her, and that it amounts to a violation of democratic principles.
In her emotion-laden address to the IPU, Akpoti-Uduaghan detailed the circumstances of her suspension, stating that it was enacted without due process and that she was denied the opportunity to defend herself during the Senate plenary session.
“Five days ago, on the 6th of March, I was suspended illegally because I submitted a petition of sexual harassment against the president of the Nigerian Senate,” she said.
She further explained that the terms of her suspension barred her from accessing her office, cut off her allowances and security, and prohibited her from presenting herself as a senator both locally and internationally for the duration of the six months.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union has yet to issue an official response to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s case.
