•Nigerians won’t forget senators if…—CSO

By Luminous Jannamike

The Senate has faulted pervasive claims that its member representing Kogi Central, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, was suspended for accusing the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, of sexual harassment.

Rather, the upper chamber clarified that Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended specifically due to her flagrant disobedience to Sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (As Amended) and her unparliamentary behaviour during its plenaries and proceedings.

The Leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, made these clarifications in a three-page statement released on Saturday amid what he described as the deliberate misinformation and false narratives being circulated by certain media organisations.

Contingent on the report of its Committee on Ethics and Privileges, the Senate had suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months over alleged misconduct and refusal to comply with its sitting arrangement during the plenary.

The Senate upheld her suspension with a proviso that if Akpoti-Uduaghan “submits a written apology, the leadership of the chamber may consider lifting the suspension before the six-month period expires.”

Rather than submitting to the authority of the Senate, Akpoti-Uduaghan, the statement said, had been misinforming the unsuspecting public that she was suspended because she accused the Senate President of sexual harassment.

In a statement he released on Saturday, however, Bamidele clarified that the disciplinary action against Akpoti-Uduaghan was unequivocally a response to her repeated violations of legislative decorum.

The statement further clarified that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition on sexual harassment failed to meet the clear and established procedural requirements for submitting petitions to the Senate.

The statement reads in part: “It has come to the attention of the Senate that some media reports are attempting to falsely suggest that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was due to allegations of sexual harassment.




https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/03/akpabio-c-not-suspended-for-sexual-harassment-allegation-senate/