Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, an embattled lawmaker from Kogi Central, has been reassured by Tulia Ackson, President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, that the issues over her suspension from the Senate will be addressed through due procedure.
Ackson’s guarantee followed Natasha’s request for the IPU and UN to step in over what she saw as an unfair suspension by the Nigerian Senate.
The Kogi senator described her experience during the IPU meeting’s Women in Parliament session on Tuesday, saying that her suspension was politically motivated and intended to silence her.
“I come with a heavy heart from Nigeria. But first, I’d like to apologise to honourable members—I am not here to bring shame to my country. I am here to seek help for the women of Nigeria,” she said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan said that her appeal against Senate President Godswill Akpabio for alleged sexual harassment was the reason for her suspension.
“I believed that submitting the petition would lead to a fair and transparent investigation, but instead, I was silenced and suspended,” she lamented.
She said that the harsh penalties she faced included having her security removed, having her official cars seized, having her salary stopped, and being prohibited from entering the National Assembly premises.
“For six months, I am not allowed to present myself as a senator, either locally or internationally,” she stated.
She described her suspension as a calculated attempt to stifle women’s participation in leadership, urging global democratic institutions to intervene.
“This is a clear case of political victimization and a systematic effort to exclude women from leadership in Nigeria. If a female senator can be treated this way in full public view, imagine what ordinary Nigerian women face every day in workplaces and universities,” she added.
In response, Ackson acknowledged the gravity of the issue and assured that the IPU would follow due process by hearing both sides before taking a position.
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“We have heard her concerns, and as an institution, we will be taking the necessary steps. However, it is important that we also listen to the other side before making any decisions, as is our custom at the IPU,” Ackson stated.
She said that a Nigerian representative in attendance had requested to address the issue but was denied the chance because of limitations on time.
As the international legislative body considers the matter, more changes are anticipated, as indicated by the IPU’s intention to examine the situation from all angles.
