The Nigerian Senate has suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months over allegations of misconduct and breaching the rules of the upper legislative chamber. The decision followed the adoption of the report from the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, which investigated the female lawmaker’s conduct.
The suspension stems from a heated confrontation between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio over seat allocation during a recent plenary session. The controversy escalated when Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of public humiliation and obstructing her motions and bills on the Senate floor.
The dispute began after Akpoti-Uduaghan rejected a newly assigned seat, insisting on retaining her previous position. The disagreement resulted in the Senate President denying her the opportunity to speak during the session, prompting the chamber to refer the matter to its Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for investigation.
Despite being duly invited to appear before the committee on Wednesday, March 6, 2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan failed to honour the invitation. The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Neda Imasuen (PDP, Edo South), expressed disappointment over her absence, stating, “Senator Natasha was duly invited to this meeting. We hope she will join us as we continue.”
The Senate President accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of violating Senate rules and engaging in actions that undermined the leadership of the Senate. The lawmaker had previously claimed that Akpabio’s actions were politically motivated, further accusing him of abuse of office and sexual harassment allegations that Akpabio has denied.
However, the Senate Committee’s report found Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of misconduct and bringing the Senate into disrepute, leading to the six-month suspension.
The suspension has sparked mixed reactions.
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