The crisis rocking Nigeria’s Senate has taken a global dimension as suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has taken her battle against Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to the United Nations (UN) and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in a bid to seek justice over what she describes as political victimization and gender-based oppression.
Senator Natasha, who was suspended on March 6, 2025, after an explosive confrontation with Akpabio, alleged that she was unlawfully removed for standing against injustice, corruption, and sexual harassment.
The embattled senator, in an emotional speech at the Women in Parliament Session held during the IPU meeting in New York, accused Akpabio of abuse of power and claimed her suspension was a calculated attempt to silence her for exposing misconduct at the highest levels of government.
The controversy began when Senator Natasha formally accused Senate President Akpabio of sexual harassment and demanded an investigation into the matter. However, instead of allowing due process, the Senate swiftly suspended her for six months, stripped her of all official privileges, and barred her from identifying as a senator within or outside Nigeria.
Natasha, who has consistently spoken out against gender-based oppression and political intimidation, argued that her removal was a brazen attack on democracy and a direct assault on women’s representation in Nigerian politics.
In a viral video obtained by Vanguard, Natasha was seen sobbing as she narrated her ordeal before an international audience. She expressed concerns for her safety, revealing that there were indications she could be detained or harmed for daring to speak at the global event.
According to her, “I thought that by submitting the petition, the Senate President would recuse himself and allow a transparent investigation. But instead, I was silenced and suspended.”
She further lamented that her suspension came with harsh consequences, including:
- Loss of security details
- Seizure of official vehicles and entitlements
- Complete salary freeze for six months
- Ban from appearing at the National Assembly
Natasha, however, maintained that her fight was not just about her but about millions of Nigerian women who face similar oppression and abuse.
In her passionate address, Natasha called on the UN, IPU, and other global democratic institutions to intervene and hold the Nigerian Senate accountable for what she called an unlawful suppression of women’s voices.
She declared, “If a female senator can be treated this way in the full view of the world, imagine what ordinary Nigerian women go through every day in workplaces, universities, and political spaces.”
The situation has sparked heated debate in Nigeria, with many questioning whether Natasha’s removal was truly about misconduct or a systematic attempt to silence dissenting voices within the National Assembly.
With international attention now on the case, pressure is mounting on the Nigerian Senate to review Natasha’s suspension and address the sexual harassment allegations against Akpabio.
Will this international exposure force the Nigerian government to act, or will Natasha’s voice be further suppressed? The coming weeks will be crucial in determining the outcome of this high-stakes political drama. WATCH VIDEO BELOW;
