Sen Natasha takes suspension, harassment allegations against Akpabio to IPU

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has taken her suspension from the Senate and her allegations of harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva, Switzerland.

Addressing the global parliamentary body, Akpoti-Uduaghan described her six-month suspension as “illegal” and linked it to her decision to speak out about alleged sexual harassment by Akpabio. She argued that her case highlights the challenges women face in Nigerian politics.

The Senate had suspended her last week, cutting off her allowances and security. On Wednesday, the Senate Ethics Committee dismissed her petition, stating that it did not follow the proper procedures.

Her suspension was also tied to an earlier dispute over changes to her Senate seating arrangement. Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only four female senators in the 109-member chamber, first made the allegations against Akpabio in a television interview on February 28,