By Amayindi Yakubu
As the battle between Senator Natasha Akpoti- Uduaghan and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio rages, Nigerians are anxious to see the rule of law, adherence to due process and diligence take its course, indeed, in separating truth from falsehood.
The story’s genesis began in the hallowed chambers when the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and NGOs, Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan, representing the Kogi Central Senatorial District under the banner of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), protested against the reassignment of her seat as allocated by Senate President Godswill Akpabio on 20 February 2025.
In addressing the situation, the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petition, led by Senator Neda Imasuen representing Edo South under the banner of the Labour Party (LP), recommended a suspension of six months for Akpoti Uduaghan on the grounds of alleged misconduct and disrespect towards the Senate. Despite pleas by other senators for a reduction in the suspension term and its provisions, the Senate consented to sending her into exile from the National Assembly for six months.
Reading his committee report, Senator Imasuen affirmed, “Her behaviour on 20 February 2025 was unethical and unbecoming of a senator, as she refused to uphold the moral sanctity of the Senate and its hallowed chamber. Her refusal to appear before the committee to explain herself, despite being served with a notice of the hearing published in the Senate Order Paper and read out in the Senate indicating the time and place of the meeting, was both disdainful and disrespectful to the committee and the Senate as a whole.”
For his part, the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, representing Benue South for the People’s Democratic Party, pleaded that the suspension be reduced to three months; however, his appeal fell on deaf ears and the suspension of six months was maintained.
In a passionate bid to resolve one aspect of the suspension, Senator Orji Kalu requested an amendment to the provision mandating the cessation of salaries and allowances for Senator Natasha. Addressing fellow legislators, Orji stated, “We cannot punish the aides of Senator Natasha for an offense they did not commit. They are staff of the National Assembly and have no other source of livelihood apart from the salaries they earn here. It would be wrong for us, as a Senate, to deny them and their families their wages. I move that we amend that section to allow them to receive their salaries.”
Provisions of the Suspension
The suspension of Senator Akpoti Uduaghan barred her from all legislative activities forthwith. In addition, the Senate agreed that her office should be locked for the duration of her suspension and that all Senate property in her possession be handed over to the Clerk of the National Assembly. The Senate further decreed that during her suspension she and her staff must not be seen in the vicinity of the National Assembly. Her salaries and allowances were to be suspended and all security details assigned to her were to be withdrawn. Moreover, for the period of her suspension, she was barred from presenting herself to the public, both locally and internationally, as a senator. The committee’s report also recommended that the salaries of all her legislative aides be halted.
What the Court is Saying
Meanwhile, before the Senate meted out its judgment, an existing court ruling by Justice Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja had restrained the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct from continuing its investigation into Senator Akpoti Uduaghan over the alleged misconduct. The court even went so far as to issue an order to the Clerk of the National Assembly, the Senate, and the Committee, requiring them to explain within 72 hours why an interlocutory injunction should not be granted to halt the investigation of the plaintiff, Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan, on the misconduct allegations, especially as this was done without affording her the privileges prescribed under the Nigerian 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Senate Standing Order 2023, and the Legislative Houses’ Powers and Privileges Act.
Adding to the ongoing court case, Natasha Akpoti has filed contempt charge against the senate president, chairman of ethics committee and the Clark of the national assembly respectively. On the basis of her application, the court issued a notice of disobedience of court order, signed by its Registrar in accordance with Section 72 of the Sheriff and Civil Process Act 2004, warning the defendants/contemnors that they were liable for contempt of court and could be imprisoned for willfully disobeying the order issued against them by Justice Obiora Egwuatu.
Regrettably, the Senate’s stance on this matter is disheartening. If the esteemed chamber that enacts laws disobeys the very laws it has passed, what can Nigerians expect? The Nigerian Senate, as the country’s most revered legislative body, must not be dragged through the mud for engaging in practices that contravene the rule of law. The conduct of the Senate sets an example that is often mirrored by the Nigerian state.
History has shown that in Nigeria the executive arm is prone to disobeying court orders, even though it grants the court’s jurisdiction over matters brought before them in accordance with the Constitution. Given that the Senate proceeded with suspending Natasha despite the court’s ruling, it appears poised to write its own history of defiance of the rule of law. Our Senate should recognise that both law-abiding citizens and those who routinely flout the law may take their cue from this matter.
Natasha’s Petition
Reacting to her suspension, Senator Akpoti stated, “Against a culture of silence, intimidation, and victim shaming, my unjust suspension from the Nigerian Senate undermines the principles of natural justice, fairness, and equity. The illegal suspension does not strip me of my legitimacy as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and I will continue to use my duly elected position to serve my constituents and country to the best of my ability until 2027 and beyond.” Senator Akpoti Uduaghan also presented a sexual harassment petition against Senate President Akpabio during plenary on behalf of her constituents, led by Zubairu Yakubu.
Inter-Parliamentary Union Meeting (IPU) at the United Nations
On an international level, at the Women in Parliament session during the Inter-Parliamentary Union Meeting at the United Nations in New York, Senator Natasha sought justice and intervention from one of the most reputable international organizations.
“I was suspended illegally because I submitted a petition for sexual harassment against the President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio. I thought that by doing so, he would recuse himself and that both of us would submit to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petition for a fair, transparent investigation. But unfortunately, I was silenced and suspended,” she told the gathering.
She added, “I have no alternative but to come here and speak to you, because this is part of a larger picture. It depicts the crisis of women’s political representation. My suspension is not just about me; it is about the systemic exclusion of women from political leadership in Nigeria.”
Inter-Parliamentary Union President Tulia Ackson assured the audience that due diligence would be given to hearing both sides. “We have heard her concerns and as an institution, we will take the necessary steps. However, it is important that we also listen to the other side before making any decisions, as is our custom at the IPU,” Ackson stated.
Reacting to the new development, Akpabio’s media aide, Eseme Eyiboh, commented that his boss can’t be forced to honour IPU request. “They don’t have the authority to do that. It is an internal affair of the National Assembly. Akpabio can’t be forced to honour an IPU invitation. That is one. Secondly, what she is doing is contemptuous since she was said to have obtained a court order,” he said.
Reactions to Natasha’s Suspension
The Labour Party, on its part, has called on the Senate to revisit Akpoti Uduaghan’s suspension. Obiora Ifo, the National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, expressed dismay, noting that the Senate’s decision to suspend Akpoti on International Women’s Day, a day when women globally are celebrated for their resilience in the face of challenges, their contributions to national development, and their role in fostering prompt action, only compounds the injustice. Little did Natasha know that that very day would mark the suspension of her position in the Senate for six months.
Ifo argued, “What the Senate has done is illegal and is unlikely to stand. They suspended the senator without adhering to the principle of a fair hearing. They ignored a ruling by a court of competent jurisdiction that barred the Senate, or its Committee on Ethics, from taking the action they took. It should be noted that the court issued its ruling long before the committee met to recommend the suspension. The case she filed, which is in the public domain, relates to derogatory remarks made by an aide to the Senate President against her. Senator Akpoti Uduaghan is in the Senate on behalf of thousands, if not millions, of the inhabitants of Kogi Central, not merely in her individual capacity. These people must not be denied their constitutionally guaranteed right to representation.”
The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provided that every part of the country should have duly constituted representation at the national level. It was this privilege that brought Senator Akpoti to the Senate. In line with Ifo’s remarks, she represents the voice of the Kogi Central Senatorial District, and sending her home would stifle the voices of those Nigerians. Does this suggest that the Senate wishes for Kogi Central to merely observe as matters of national concern, relating to their fate and destiny, are decided without their input? If so, it is a great pity.
Oby Ezekwesili, on her X (formerly Twitter) handle, listed several demands from Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the Nigerian Senate regarding the issue. She first stated:
“The Senate President should step aside, and the Deputy Senate President should immediately convene a session to rescind the unconstitutional and illegal suspension of Senator Akpoti Uduaghan, reversing all punitive measures imposed on her so that she may resume her duties as a duly elected senator representing her Kogi Central constituency and receive the fair hearing due to her under Senate procedures.”
She further insisted that “the Senate, presided over by the Deputy Senate President, should take swift action within the week, resolve and announce that a prompt independent investigation into Senator Akpoti Uduaghan’s resubmitted petition is imperative, and immediately call for the necessary measures to be taken.”
Socio Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) In an open letter dated 8 March and signed by Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the Socio Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) threatened Senator Godswill Akpabio with legal action unless the Senate decision was reversed. SERAP stated, “The Senate should immediately reinstate Senator Akpoti UDUAGHAN and revise parliamentary procedures that unduly restrict lawmakers’ human rights.” The letter added, “No one should be suspended for exercising their right to freedom of expression. The suspension has denied the people of Kogi Central effective representation in government.”
Labour Party Youth Leader Prince Kennedy Ahanotu has called for the recall of the Senate Ethics Committee Chairman. He remarked, “Nigerian youths are, through this statement, calling on the people of Edo South to immediately commence a recall process for Senator Neda Imasuen due to his poor representation and conduct in the Senate. Regarding the matter of the distinguished Senator Natasha, it has been observed that Senator Imasuen has not satisfactorily applied internationally accepted principles of fair hearing in making recommendations that led to the controversial suspension of the distinguished Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan.”
Former Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, speaking on Arise TV, expressed the view that “the beauty of the distinguished Senator Natasha is a problem for her because when someone attractive passes by, men’s attitudes change. They may smile, but they might not speak to her. There is no doubt that Natasha’s beauty has become a liability.”
Commenting on the handling of the case by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Ogunlewe added:
“The committee did not treat Natasha with the respect she deserves, and the manner in which they spoke shows both ignorance and a violation of her privileges, suggesting that she should no longer present herself as a senator. One cannot doubt that the committee’s chairman was influenced by the Senate President. The suspension was not conducted in the usual manner; it was predetermined, and they knew exactly where they were heading. They presented themselves to the public as disorganized. They should not have rushed the process when they were aware that their biases would be exposed. Their actions demonstrated a lack of seriousness.”
However, the Nigerian Women Crusade for Good Governance (NWCGG), led by Dr. Mrs. Cecilia Ikechukwu, apologised to Godswill Akpabio and the Nigerian Senate, stating:
“We strongly condemn Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan’s behaviour, which we find disruptive, crude, and distasteful. Her actions have embarrassed Nigerian women and undermined the efforts of female politicians who have worked hard to earn the trust and respect of Nigerians.”
Reno Omokri, a former presidential aide to President Goodluck Jonathan, sharing his own encounter with Senator Natasha Akpoti, has accused her of leveling a false accusation of sexual harassment against him in the past. He maintained that her integrity should be called into question and suggested that she take a “lie detector test” to prove her claims.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), reacting to the suspension of its members, stated:
“The party observes that the hasty suspension of Senator Akpoti Uduaghan, without an open investigation into the weighty allegation of sexual harassment against the Senate President, not only negates the principle of a fair hearing, especially in parliamentary convention, but also gives the impression that the Senate endorses and condones unprincipled conduct.”
PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, stressed that: “It is scandalous and amounts to a gross abuse of office and a violation of the principles of justice and fair hearing for one to sit as a judge in a matter in which he is the accused; a situation that validates public apprehension that the embattled Senate President is desperate to suppress an open legislative probe into the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him.”
He added, “Our justice system tells us that one cannot be a judge in his own case, yet our leaders behave otherwise. What will it take for the Senate President to step aside, allowing another senior official to preside over his case? The hallmark of leadership is to set a true example. When will Nigerian leaders demonstrate genuine leadership? If we lived in a country with selfless leaders, a resignation or stepping aside for someone else to lead would not be a significant issue.”
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), through its national coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, also commented on Natasha Akpoti’s suspension:
“If this damaging accusation of fraud against Senator Imasuen is confirmed to be credible, it would be logically and ethically impossible for the Senate’s hierarchy to offer a plausible justification for saddling someone with ethical baggage with the onerous task of enforcing ethical standards and heading a strategic panel charged with investigating public petitions.”
HURIWA’s call is based on the fact that Imasuen was stripped of his bar license in New York over allegations of multimillion-dollar fraud and gross misconduct, as reported in the media.
Furthermore, the manner in which the Ethics Committee Chairman handled the case so horridly suggests that something is amiss in the entire process, coupled with the blatant disobedience of the ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja. For the sake of fairness and transparency, if the Nigerian Senate wishes to demonstrate its adherence to the authority it purports to uphold, it must set up an independent investigation committee comprising highly reputable individuals with no links to either Senator Natasha Akpoti or Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Wait a minute, does the Senate Committee on Ethics, led by Senator Neda Imasuen, have the trust of the Nigerian public to scrutinise the sexual assault petition submitted by Senator Natasha? Can we assume that, in this context, the committee can honestly investigate and afford Senator Akpoti a fair hearing? Consider this carefully.
