In a dramatic turn of events, the Nigerian Senate has suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months following allegations of sexual harassment she leveled against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The decision, reached on Thursday, March 6, 2024, came after a review by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions. As part of the suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan will lose her salary, security privileges, and access to the National Assembly premises. Additionally, her office will be locked, and her legislative aides will be denied their salaries throughout the suspension period.
The controversy stems from a heated Senate session where Akpoti-Uduaghan protested the reassignment of her seat, alleging that the move was an attempt to silence her. Upon arriving at the plenary session, she discovered that her nameplate had been removed and her seat reassigned—an action she fiercely challenged.
The Senate responded by referring the matter to the Ethics Committee, which found her conduct to be in violation of the chamber’s rules. During deliberations, Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro backed the committee’s decision, comparing the disciplinary action to “correcting a child,” citing Nigerian cultural values.
To appeal the suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan must submit a formal written apology to the Senate. Initially, the Ethics Committee had recommended a six-month suspension. However, following an appeal from Senator Abba Moro (PDP, Benue South), the duration was reconsidered and reduced to three months. Despite this, the Senate later upheld the original six-month term.
The suspension has sparked widespread reactions, with political analysts and the public weighing in on whether the decision was a justified disciplinary measure or an attempt to suppress dissent. The controversy has also drawn attention to internal power struggles within the Senate and the broader implications for legislative independence in Nigeria.
As the situation unfolds, all eyes remain on Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and whether she will seek legal recourse or comply with the Senate’s conditions for reinstatement.
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