The embattled senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has taken Nigerian Senate President Godswill Akpabio to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) over her six-month suspension and allegations of sexual harassment.
Speaking at the Women in Parliament session at the United Nations in New York, Senator Natasha informed the IPU of her alleged victimisation by Akpabio, describing her suspension as “unlawful” and an act of injustice against her.
In an emotional address, she sought justice and called for the intervention of global democratic institutions, citing concerns about gender-based political oppression in Nigeria.
The senator further expressed fears for her safety, claiming that “the powers that be” in Nigeria might attempt to detain her in New York for speaking out on the issue at the international forum.
It will be recalled that in March 2024, the Nigerian Senate announced Senator Natasha’s suspension following recommendations from its Committee on Ethics, Rules, and Code of Conduct.
As a consequence, she has been denied her salary, barred from entering the National Assembly premises, and restricted from referring to herself as a senator during the suspension period.
Senator Natasha’s latest move signals a major escalation in the ongoing controversy surrounding her suspension, with potential implications for Nigeria’s legislative integrity and women’s political representation on the global stage.
