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.
“This is completely untrue, misleading, and a calculated attempt to distort the facts. If Akpoti-Uduaghan had strictly followed our guiding principles, the Senate would have treated her petition based on merit in line with its practice. But she never obeyed the established practices of the institution where she was serving.”
Specifically, the statement revealed that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was “a decision of the Committee of the Whole Senate, following the submission of a report by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges.”
The statement noted that the report found Akpoti-Uduaghan guilty of violating Sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (As Amended) and recommended her immediate suspension.
As established in the findings of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges, the statement pointed out that the disciplinary action was “a response to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s repeated violations of legislative decorum stated as follows:
“Refusing to sit in her assigned seat during plenary on 25th February 2025, despite multiple pleas from the Minority Leader and other ranking Senators—an act of open defiance and disorderly conduct.
“Speaking without being recognized by the presiding officer, in clear violation of parliamentary practices and procedures on 25th February 2025.
“Engaging in unruly and disruptive behavior, obstructing the orderly conduct of Senate proceedings. Making abusive and disrespectful remarks against the leadership of the Senate.”
Public trust
Meanwhile, the Advocacy for Integrity and Rule of Law (AIRL) has warned that the Senate risks losing public trust and jeopardising the country’s democracy if it fails to manage the controversial suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan with caution.
The group emphasised that the ongoing conflict between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan could tarnish the image and integrity of the upper legislative chamber.
In a statement, AIRL Chairman, Mohammed Ibrahim Gamawa, urged the Senate to exercise restraint and avoid actions that could deny Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s constituency their right to representation.
The group described the confrontations in the Senate and on social media as a ‘show of shame’ that could bring the institution into disrepute.
AIRL further cautioned that if the suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan was not handled properly, it could escalate into a crisis that undermines Nigeria’s hard-won democracy.
The group reminded the 10th Senate of its role as representatives of the Nigerian people, warning that failure to resolve the crisis could have lasting consequences for the Senate’s legacy and Nigeria’s democratic stability.
ThisdayNigeria
