The Senate recently suspended Kogi lawmaker Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, accusing her of violating its rules just days after she submitted a petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The controversy surrounding her allegations and suspension continues to make headlines. On Tuesday, the suspended Kogi Senator took her case to a global stage, seeking justice and intervention from international democratic institutions. Speaking at the Women in Parliament session during the Inter-Parliamentary Union Meeting (IPU) at the United Nations in New York, Senator Natasha described her suspension as illegal and called for justice. “I was suspended illegally because I submitted a petition for 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 gathering. She emphasized that her suspension is not just about her but reflects the systemic exclusion of women from political leadership in Nigeria. After her speech, she expressed concerns about her security, claiming that there are indications she may be held against her will in New York for speaking up on the issue. Last week, the Senate suspended Senator Natasha, a move that has sparked debates across the country. She had initially submitted a petition accusing Akpabio of sexual harassment, but the lawmakers dismissed it before suspending her even after she submitted another petition. Senator Natasha vowed to continue her fight against “injustice,” while Akpabio denied the accusations and maintained he has never assaulted women. The altercation between Senator Natasha and the Senate President began on February 20, 2025, after her seat was changed during plenary. This was not their first clash; in July 2024, Akpabio had reprimanded her for misconduct, telling her to follow the rules and that the Senate is not a nightclub. He later apologized for the remark.
