Kogi Central lawmaker, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has escalated her fight against Senate President Godswill Akpabio following what she describes as her “illegal” suspension by the Nigerian Senate.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended by the Upper Chamber for six months, along with other punitive measures, after accusing Akpabio of sexually harassing her.
Speaking at the Women in Parliament session during the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in New York on Tuesday, March 11, the senator condemned her suspension, calling it an attempt to silence her in the male-dominated Senate.
With visible emotion, Akpoti-Uduaghan demanded justice, emphasizing that her suspension was not just a personal attack but part of a broader systemic exclusion of women from political spaces.
“Good afternoon, President of the IPU. Good afternoon, colleagues. I come with a heavy heart from Nigeria, but first, I’d like to apologize to Honorable Khafila O’Bara. I am not here to bring shame to my country. I am here to seek help for the women of Nigeria.”
She recounted the events that led to her suspension, explaining: “Five days ago, on March 6, 2025, I was illegally suspended as a senator because I submitted a petition of sexual harassment against the president of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio. I believed 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 and transparent investigation.”
“But unfortunately, I was silenced and suspended. The suspension came with severe conditions: my security detail was withdrawn, all official vehicles and other entitlements were taken away, my salary was cut off, and I was prohibited from appearing near the National Assembly. Additionally, for six months, I am not allowed to identify or present myself as a senator, either locally in Nigeria or internationally. This means I am here illegally, but I had nowhere else to turn except to come here and speak to you, my fellow women, because this is a bigger issue.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan stressed that her case reflects the broader struggle for women’s political representation in Nigeria, urging the international community to take action.
“This is about more than just me—it highlights the systemic exclusion of women in politics.”
Source: www.mynigeria.com
