UN IPC: SENATE COUNTERS NATASHA’S CLAIM, INSISTS SUSPENSION DUE TO MISCONDUCT, NOT SEXUAL HARASSMENT ALLEGATION
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The Nigerian Senate has pushed back against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claim that she was suspended for six months due to her allegations of sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. According to the Senate, Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended solely for her “persistent act of misconduct and disregard for the Senate Standing Orders” .
The Senate’s rebuttal was presented at the United Nations Inter Parliamentary Conference (UN IPC) via a letter read by Kafilat Ogbara, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development. The letter emphasized that there was no correlation between Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension and her allegations of sexual harassment or assault.
The Senate’s decision to suspend Akpoti-Uduaghan has generated significant debate across Nigeria, with many criticizing the move as unfair. Akpoti-Uduaghan had submitted a petition to the Senate accusing Akpabio of sexual harassment, but the lawmakers threw it out before suspending her.
Despite the Senate’s insistence that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was due to misconduct, Ogbara called for a thorough investigation into the allegations against Akpabio. The incident has sparked a wider conversation about sexual harassment and misconduct in Nigeria’s political sphere.
The UN IPC had earlier listened to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s complaint and promised to take necessary steps to address the issue after hearing from the other side. With the Senate’s response, the IPC has now heard both sides of the story.
