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Summary
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has taken her case against Senate President Godswill Akpabio to the United Nations Inter-Parliamentary Union, alleging that her suspension was illegal and aimed at silencing her. Speaking at the Women in Parliament session in New York, she framed her case as part of a larger issue of systemic exclusion of women from political leadership in Nigeria. The controversy continues to draw national and international scrutiny.
On Tuesday, Mar. 11, 2025, suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan took her case to the global stage, seeking justice and intervention from international democratic institutions. Speaking at the Women in Parliament session during the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting at the United Nations in New York, Senator Natasha condemned her suspension from the Nigerian Senate, describing it as illegal and part of a broader effort to silence women in politics.
This comes after the Nigerian Senate, under the leadership of Godswill Akapbio, unlawfully suspended Senator Natasha days after she submitted a petition stating that Senate President Godswill Akpabio sexually harassed her, amongst other misconduct. Although the Senate cited violations of its rules as the reason for her suspension, Senator Natasha argues that her removal was a direct response to her petition and an attempt to suppress her voice.
“I was suspended illegally because I submitted a petition for sexual harassment against the President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio,” she told the gathering. “I thought that by submitting the petition, he would recuse himself, and both of us would submit ourselves to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petition for a fair, transparent investigation. But unfortunately, I was silenced and suspended.”
She further emphasised that her case is not just a personal battle but a reflection of the systemic exclusion of women from political leadership in Nigeria.
“My suspension is not just about me. It’s about the systemic exclusion of women from political leadership in Nigeria,” Senator Natasha said.
Following her speech, she raised concerns about her security, stating that she feared being held against her will in New York by powerful forces in Nigeria who disapproved of her speaking out on the issue at an international forum.
The controversy surrounding Natasha’s suspension continues to generate national and international debate. Her petition against Akpabio was dismissed by the Senate (without hearing her out) before her suspension, and efforts to challenge her removal from the legislative chamber are ongoing.
With the issue now reaching the UN and the Inter-Parliamentary Union, global attention is on Nigeria’s political landscape and its treatment of women in leadership positions. Senator Natasha’s case highlights concerns over gender discrimination, political retaliation, and the broader struggle for women’s representation in governance in Nigeria and globally.
