The Nigerian Senate has clarified to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) that the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was due to gross misconduct and unruly behaviour, not as a result of allegations of sexual harassment as she had claimed.
Chairperson of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, Kafilat Ogbara, made the clarification while reading a statement on behalf of the Senate by Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele.
Ogbara said the statement was in response to “deliberate misinformation and false narratives” circulating in the media, stressing that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension followed a report by the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, which found her guilty of violating several sections of the Senate Rules.
She said the National Assembly tasked her with delivering the response to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s remarks at the 69th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.
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“In response to the call by the President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Right Honorable Tulia Ackson to hear both sides of the matter, I have received a letter from the Nigerian Senate in my capacity as Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development of our parliament in Nigeria and the parliamentarian representing Nigeria at this conference,” she 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.
“The authority of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria firmly rebuke the deliberate misinformation and false narratives being circulated by certain media organisations regarding the six months 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.
“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.
“Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was a decision of the Committee of the Whole Senate, following the submission of a report by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges.
“Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was a direct consequence of her actions and nothing else.”
Tribune Online reports that Senator Natasha, while speaking at the Women in Parliament session held during the IPU meeting at the United Nations in New York on Tuesday, described her suspension from the Senate as “illegal” and called for global support against what she termed an injustice.
In response to the claim, IPU’s President, Tulia Ackson, said the union will take the necessary steps on the suspension after hearing from both parties involved in the matter.
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