Suspended lawmaker representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghant has taken her case against Senate President Godswill Akpabio to the global stage.
This was as she tabled her plight at the Women in Parliament session held at the Inter-Parliamentary Union Meeting (IPU) at the United Nations in New York.
Akpoti-Uduaghan said she is seeking justice and the intervention of global democratic institutions.
She also described her suspension from the Senate as illegal, adding that there are indications that she may be held against her will by “the powers that be” from Nigeria for speaking up in New York.
Last Thursday, the rift between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan reached a climax, when the Senate wielded the big stick and suspended the Kogi Central senator who accused the Senate President of sexual harassment and abuse of office.
This followed a seat arrangement conflict on February 20, 2025
Akpabio had denied the sexual harassment allegations against him by the Kogi lawmaker.
Akpoti-Uduaghan also slammed a N100 billion defamation suit on Akpabio while the upper legislative chamber referred her to its disciplinary committee.
She subsequently approached a Federal High Court in Abuja and got an order restraining the Senate committee from conducting disciplinary proceedings against her, with the case adjourned to March 10, 2025.
On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, the Senate committee dismissed Akpoti-Uduaghan’s sexual harassment and abuse of office petition against Akpabio, declaring it “dead on arrival” based on procedural violations and legal constraints but the female senator re-submitted the petition On Thursday.