Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has taken her case to an international stage, calling for justice after her removal from the Nigerian Senate.
Her suspension came after she submitted a petition accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment—claims he has strongly denied. The Senate later dismissed her petition and suspended her for allegedly violating its rules.
Speaking at the Women in Parliament session during the Inter-Parliamentary Union Meeting (IPU) at the United Nations in New York, Senator Natasha called her suspension “illegal.”
“I was suspended illegally because I submitted a petition for sexual harassment against the President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio,” she said. “I thought that by submitting the petition, he would recuse himself and both of us would submit ourselves to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petition for a fair, transparent investigation. But unfortunately, I was silenced and I was suspended.”
She argued that her case highlights the broader issue of women’s exclusion from politics in Nigeria.
“My suspension is not just about me. It’s about the systemic exclusion of women from political leadership in Nigeria,” she added.
Following her speech, she expressed concerns for her safety, claiming that “powers that be” in Nigeria might try to hold her in New York for speaking out.
The controversy between her and Akpabio dates back to July 2024, when he criticized her conduct in the Senate, saying the chamber was “not a nightclub.” He later apologized.
Despite the suspension, Senator Natasha vowed to continue her fight against “injustice,” while Akpabio has maintained that he has never assaulted women.
