Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has criticised Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for allegedly bypassing internal mechanisms of the National Assembly before escalating her suspension saga to the international community.
Speaking during plenary, Akpabio said Senator Natasha did not allow the Senate to consider her petition before proceeding to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), where she accused the Nigerian Senate of suspending her over a sexual harassment complaint.
“I recall the last decision we took which concern one of our sisters here, the distinguished senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. I am also aware that when she left the chambers, she went to the Brekete Radio and she went to Arise Television and she distorted the facts. I am aware further that she has now externalized the matter by attempting to embarrass the Federal Republic of Nigeria by going to give a narrative at the IPU’s UN event on what was totally different from what occurred in the Senate,” Akpabio said.
He further praised the Chairperson of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Kafilat Ogbara, for addressing the international press on the matter.
“But I want to thank our honorable member, RT. Honourable Kafilat Ogbara who had to gave a press conference in New York to caution the international press not to vilify Nigeria but to note that the fact presented by her were totally out of tune with what occurred at the Nigerian parliament and that we have our own internal mechanism of resolving issues in Nigeria and outside this parliament we also have the judiciary which is even standing before the judiciary,” he stated.
Akpabio said Senator Natasha disregarded both the Senate’s internal channels and the judiciary before rushing to the international community.
“Even here she has brought a petition and she has not allow us to look into it, she went to court and then she has not allow the court to look into it she has gone to international community and she may not even allow the international community to look into it she may decide to run to I don’t know where. I don’t want to be misquoted but the reality is that we remain resolute, we are law abiding, we operate through the rules of the senate which is an extension of the power and privileges given to us by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.
Tribune Online reports that the Senate had earlier issued a formal clarification to the IPU, stating that Natasha’s six-month suspension was based on gross misconduct and unruly behaviour, not on her claims of sexual harassment.
Delivering the Senate’s position at the 69th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York, Ogbara said, “Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for gross misconduct and unruly behaviour and not as a result of allegations of sexual harassment or assault.”
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She described Natasha’s remarks at the international forum as “deliberate misinformation and false narratives,” adding that her suspension followed a report by the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, which found her in breach of several provisions of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (As Amended).
“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,” the statement read.
She noted that the decision was a resolution of the Committee of the Whole Senate, insisting that the senator failed to adhere to internal processes, which led to the disciplinary action.
“If Senator Uduaghan had strictly followed our guiding principles, the Senate would have treated her petition based on merit in line with its practice. But she never obeyed the established practices of the institution where she was serving,” she added.
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