‘They’re planning my suspension’ — Natasha Akpoti accuses senate leadership of marginalisation

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has accused the senate leadership of attempting to silence her.

Speaking in an interview on Human Rights Radio on Friday, the Kogi central lawmaker claimed she has been subjected to intimidation since joining the senate, warning that plans are underway to suspend her.

“I know that right now, they are planning my suspension. If I am suspended, fine, it will not stop me from doing my work wherever I can,” she said.

Her comments follow a confrontation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over a reassignment of her seat on Thursday.

Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed the change in seating arrangement was a deliberate attempt to diminish her visibility and reduce her chances of contributing to debates.

“Changing my seat was just a chance of silencing or alienating me from being seen. Sitting position is important. The nearer you sit positions you near the camera and gives you an added advantage to be called upon to contribute to debates,” she said.

“Ordinarily I’m already sitting at the very back. But then, I was now moved suddenly without any notice, without any information, my seat was moved to the far corner, a part where the cameras don’t capture.”

The senator further alleged that she has been excluded from key international events and denied official travel privileges.

She also claimed she was recently removed from a senate committee because some colleagues believed she was “diverting resources from the Niger Delta to the north”.

“I’m facing a lot of harassment. I have been going through a lot and I have remained quiet because I didn’t want to be interpreted wrongly,” she said.

“I don’t want any lawsuits against me; I just want to be given a chance to work. A lot of my privileges have been denied. I have been pulled out of many international activities that I was part of.

“There was a United Nations event I was supposed to attend which I was nominated for but my name was struck out. They will not promote me in any activity internationally.

“So every event I have been going to since last year has been self-sponsored. Whenever I feel an international event that is of importance to my constituents, to Nigerian women and to Nigeria, I buy my tickets myself and fund my trips myself. I just don’t speak about it.”