Barely 24 hours after dismissing the sexual harassment allegations brought before it by the senator representing Kogi Central senatorial district, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, against Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the lawmakers have suspended the lawmaker for six months over her dispute Akwa Ibom lawmaker.
Despite efforts by some senators to reduce the suspension period to three months, the Senate, in a majority vote, sustained the initial decision to impose a six-month suspension on her.
They, however, ruled that the suspension could be lifted or reduced if the Kogi lawmaker tenders a written apology to the senate president and her colleagues.
Following her suspension on Thursday, the Kogi Central lawmaker was escorted out of the chamber by the Sergeant-At-Arms, but before she left, the female lawmaker declared that the suspension was unjustice would not be sustained.
Her suspension was recommended by the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct led by its chairman, Neda Imasuen, which found her guilty of a violation of the Senate’s rules after its investigation.
Reading out the committee’s findings, the senate president said: “That the Senate do suspend Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months for her total violation of the Senate Standing Rules (2023 as amended for bringing the presiding officer and the entire Nigerian Senate to public opprobrium.
“For the Senate to consider lifting this suspension or reducing the tenure of the suspension, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan shall submit a written apology to the Senate before her reconsideration by the Nigerian Senate,” Akpabio said at the Red Chamber on Thursday.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker’s suspension is the culmination of weeks of claims and counter-claims between her, Akpabio, and the Senate.
This controversy began on February 20, 2025, after a seating arrangement dispute with Senator Akpabio. Thereafter, Senator Natasha accused the Senate president of sexual harassment and alleged abuse of office.
She submitted a petition on the floor of the upper lawmaking body on. But the Senate Committee on Public Conduct, Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions Neda Imaseun headed by Neda Imaseun (Edo South) dismissed her claims. It declared her petition “dead on arrival,” owing to what it described as a breach of due process and legal limitations.
According to the committee, the senator personally signed the petition, instead of getting someone else’s endorsement, thus rendering it “invalid”.
Natasha, barely a day after that, re-submitted her petition.
However, on the same day, the Imasuen-led committee recommended her suspension for the violation of the Senate rule, a move ratified by the Red Chamber.
It recommended that in addition to her six-month suspension, the Kogi Central lawmaker suggested locking her office, stopping her from the National Assembly during the suspension, and stoppage of her salary and that of her legislative aides.
