Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has taken her suspension by the Nigerian Senate and her case against Senate President Godswill Akpabio to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), an international organization that supports legislative bodies worldwide.
The Kogi Central lawmaker described the Senate’s decision as a reflection of the systemic challenges women face in Nigeria’s political landscape.
The IPU works to ensure that parliaments and lawmakers can carry out their duties effectively and freely while also promoting inclusivity, particularly for women, youth, and marginalized groups. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan made an emotional appeal during her address to the IPU, detailing the circumstances of her suspension and the broader implications for women’s political participation in Nigeria.
Senator Natasha’s Statement
“I come with a heavy heart from Nigeria, but first I’d like to apologize to Honorable Obara. I am not here to bring shame to our country; I am here to seek help for the women of Nigeria.” Natasha said, Channels TV reported.
“Five days ago, on the 6th of March 2025, I was suspended as a senator. I was suspended illegally because I submitted a petition of sexual harassment against the president of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio. I thought that by submitting the petition, he would recuse himself and that both of us would submit ourselves to the committee on ethics, privileges, and public petitions for a fair and transparent investigation. But unfortunately, I was silenced and suspended.
I was suspended for six months under stringent conditions. My security detail was withdrawn, all official vehicles and other items assigned to me as a senator were taken away, my salary was cut off, and I was banned from appearing anywhere near the National Assembly. For six months, I am not to present myself as a senator locally or internationally. That means I am here illegally, but I have no other place to go but to come here and speak to you women because this is a bigger picture.
My suspension is not just about me; it represents the systemic exclusion of women from political leadership in Nigeria. Women hold only 3.6% of political offices, and in the Senate, the figure is a mere 2.8%. Out of 109 senators, only four of us are women. With my suspension, there are now 108 men and only three women.
This is a clear case of political victimization—a punishment for speaking out against impunity, corruption, and gender-based violence. The United Nations Declaration 48/104 recognizes sexual harassment as a form of gender violence. The Senate’s actions are an assault on democracy. I was elected by my constituents to represent them, yet a few powerful individuals have unilaterally decided to silence their voices by suspending me for six months.
My call for an open and transparent investigation into harassment allegations has been met with hostility instead of accountability. If a female senator can be treated this way in full view of the world, imagine what ordinary Nigerian women go through every day in workplaces, universities, and other institutions.”
The IPU is expected to deliberate on the matter, and its response could shape future discussions on gender equity in Nigerian politics.
