The feud between President of the senate Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has escalated, as the Kogi lawmaker takes her case to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
She described her six-month suspension by the Nigerian Senate as unlawful and part of an effort to silence her voice in parliament.
Speaking at the IPU meeting, Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that her suspension was linked to her petition accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment.
She argued that rather than stepping aside for a fair hearing by the Senate’s Ethics Committee, she was punished with a six-month suspension under severe conditions, including Withdrawals of security and salaries, ban from appearing before the National Assembly and Prohibition from identifying as a senator locally or internationally
She stated that with no other recourse, she turned to the Inter-Parliamentary Union to seek justice.
Akpoti-Uduaghan described her suspension as a clear case of political victimization for speaking out against impunity, corruption, and gender-based violence.
She argued that the Senate’s actions are an assault on democracy, as they have effectively silenced the voices of her constituents.
She further stated that her calls for an open and transparent investigation into the sexual harassment allegations have been met with hostility instead of accountability.
The senator linked her experience to a larger pattern of harassment and intimidation faced by women in politics, stating that Women who demand fairness often face threats, intimidation, and violence
She called on the international community, human rights organizations, and women’s movements to hold the Nigerian Senate accountable, insisting that the world must not remain silent as democracy and women’s rights are being eroded in Nigeria.
Akpoti-Uduaghan vowed to resist political intimidation and continue advocating for women’s political inclusion, safety, and protection from harassment.
She declared that she will not apologize to the Senate for speaking the truth and will serve her six-month suspension.
However, she promised that upon her return, she would reintroduce her sexual harassment petition against Akpabio and continue to fight for justice.
She pledged to work with women’s groups, civil society organizations, and legal teams to ensure that her suspension is overturned.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is a global organization that promotes peace, democracy, and sustainable development through parliamentary diplomacy and dialogue.
Editor: Anoyoyo Ogiagboviogie
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