Senate addresses IPU, insists Natasha Akpoti’s suspension not tied to sexual harassment claim

The Nigerian senate has told the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) that Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was not suspended over her sexual harassment allegation.

The IPU is a global organisation of national parliaments. It promotes peace, democracy and sustainable development among nations through diplomacy and dialogue.

It also seeks to strengthen international parliaments and make them more effective.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi central, had accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexually harassing her.

She was suspended from the senate on March 6 for “gross misconduct” following her seating arrangement altercation with Akpabio.

On Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan took her case against Akpabio to the IPU.

“Five days ago, on the 6th of March 2025, I was suspended as a senator illegally because I submitted a petition of sexual harassment against the president of the Nigerian senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio,” Akpoti-Uduaghan told the IPU.

The senate tendered its response to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s submission in a letter read at the IPU assembly by Kafilat Ogbara, a member of the house of representatives.

Ogbara is the chairperson of the house committee on women affairs and social development, and the parliamentarian representing Nigeria at the IPU conference in New York.

“Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for gross misconduct and unruly behaviour and not as a result of allegation of sexual harassment or assault,” the letter signed by Opeyemi Bamidele, leader of the senate, reads.

“The authority of the senate of the federal republic of Nigeria firmly rebukes the deliberate misinformation and false narratives being circulated by certain media organisations regarding the six-month suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

“Let it be unequivocally stated that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended solely for her persistent acts of misconduct, blatant disregard for the provisions of the senate standing orders 2023 as amended and gross indiscipline. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Bamidele said Akpoti-Uduaghan did not adhere to the senate’s guiding principles while submitting her petition.

“If Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had strictly followed our guiding principles, the senate would have treated her petition based on merits in line with its practice, but she never obeyed the established practices of the institution where she was serving,” he added.