Former Education Minister Oby Ezekwesili has criticized the Nigerian Senate for suspending Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months, calling it a “vicious abuse of power.”
Ezekwesili, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), condemned the Senate for dismissing Akpoti-Uduaghan’s sexual harassment allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio instead of investigating them.
“When men because of little power fleetingly acquired start speaking like they are God, we all must remember what history reveals of their kind,” she wrote. “Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. You have inspired a Generation. You have inspired all credible citizens. You will never walk alone.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension came ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8, 2025. It stemmed from a February 20 seating dispute with Akpabio, after which she accused him of sexual harassment and filed a N100bn defamation suit against him.
The Senate Committee on Ethics dismissed her petition on March 5, citing procedural violations, as she signed it herself instead of seeking endorsement. The committee also argued that the allegations were already in court, making them sub judice.
