Nigerian Senate Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan: Here are the Complete Details & Up-to-Date Updates

Nigeria's Senate suspended recently Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Kogi Central, on accusations of gross misconduct and rowdy conduct for a period of six months. This development has taken center stage amid heated controversy and this follows right behind her allegations of harassment sexually, against the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio. According to the Senate, the suspension does not regard the alleged matters but rather disobedience of the procedures of Parliament.

Background of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

Born on 9 December 1979, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is a Nigerian politician and barrister. She obtained a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Abuja in 2004 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2005. In 2012, she obtained an MBA in Oil and Gas Management from the University of Dundee.

Before entering political life, Akpoti-Uduaghan was a legal consultant at Brass LNG from 2007 to 2010 and proceeded to set up the Builders Hub Impact Investment Program. She became famous for her struggle towards restarting the Ajaokuta Steel Mill, for which she received the Nigerian Society of Engineers' Presidential Award in 2017. In 2023, Akpoti-Uduaghan contested and was elected to the Nigerian Senate on the People's Democratic Party (PDP) ticket for Kogi Central.

➡️ More on Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan's Political Career

The Sexual Harassment Accusation of Senate President Akpabio

In February 2025, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan publicly accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment during an Arise News interview. She then made a formal complaint against Akpabio, alleging abuse of office and improper conduct.

The Senate's Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions considered the petition but dismissed it on a point of procedure. The committee did not consider the merits of the claims, citing procedural violations in the process of presentation.

➡️ Senate Dismisses Akpoti-Uduaghan's Petition Against Akpabio

Senate's Reason for Suspension

On 6th March 2025, the Senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months, whereby she is denied access to her office, and her allowances and security details have been withdrawn.

The Senate leadership indicated that the suspension was due to her purported misconduct at plenary sessions, including:

Refusal to take her assigned seat.
Speakership out of turn without permission from the presiding officer.
Making abusive and unparliamentary remarks against the leadership of the Senate.

The Senate Majority Leader Opeyemi Bamidele had clarified that the suspension was due to Akpoti-Uduaghan's "flagrant disobedience" of the standing orders of the Senate as well as her "unparliamentary conduct". He also suggested that she might spend the suspension period studying the rules of the Senate.

➡️ Senate Suspends Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for Six Months

The suspension has attracted mixed reactions from various quarters:

1. Senate President Godswill Akpabio:

He said that Akpoti-Uduaghan's allegations traumatized him and tarnished the image of the Senate. Akpabio did not own up to any wrongdoing and stated that the allegations came up only after Akpoti-Uduaghan's committee assignments were altered.

➡️ Akpabio: Senator Natasha Traumatised Me and the Senate

2. Nigerian-American Coalition for Justice and Democracy (NACJD):

This group condemned the suspension as an "outrageous assault on justice, democracy, and the rule of law." They demanded Akpoti-Uduaghan's reinstatement with immediate effect and condemned the action of the Senate, especially since it fell on International Women's Day.

➡️ Nigerian-American Coalition Threatens International Action

3. Concerned Nigerians Group:

This group condemned Akpoti-Uduaghan's allegations against Akpabio as a calculated attempt to blackmail and tarnish his image. They urged Nigerians to focus on national development rather than be distracted by such "attention-seeking theatrics."

➡️ Group Condemns Akpoti-Uduaghan's Sexual Harassment Allegations

4. Labour Party (LP):

The opposition party called on the Senate to reverse the suspension, believing that the action was made on International Women's Day, a day that is celebrated to commend women's success.

➡️ Labour Party Calls for Senate to Reconsider Suspension

Legal Actions and Future Consequences

After her suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan has sued Senate President Akpabio in an attempt to obtain ₦100 billion (approximately $64,000) in damages. According to her, her suspension is unfair and an attempt to silence her.

The case is set to attract serious focus, potentially establishing a precedent for how misconduct claims and disciplinary actions are handled within Nigeria's legislature.

➡️ Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan Sues Akpabio for ₦100 Billion

This incident also emphasizes the women politicians' struggle in Nigeria. With women occupying very few legislative seats, suspension of one of the limited female senators is cause for alarm on gender representation and the way women are treated in politics. This incident can be leveraged by pressure groups to call for changes to make the political landscape more inclusive and equitable.

Conclusion

The suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan foregrounds the dynamics of Nigeria's political system, as accusations of impropriety, process disagreements, and gender politics intersect. As the theatrics develop, tracking court proceedings and the Senate's reaction will be crucial to an understanding of their implications for Nigeria's democratic process and for women in politics.

➡️ Read the Full Coverage on AP News

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