‘He Handled It Like I Was A Staff In His Living Room’ – Natasha Blasts Akpabio On Her Suspension

The lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has claimed that her suspension from the Nigerian Senate on March 6, 2025, was premeditated and politically motivated.

In a recent interview with Adeola Fayehun on her YouTube channel on Saturday, May 31, 2025, the senator accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of unlawfully suspending her in a politically charged move.

According to Akpoti-Uduaghan, the suspension was not a reaction to an incident on the Senate floor but rather a well-planned strategy.

“The impression being circulated is that I caused a scene over my seat. That is false. I raised a matter of privilege under Chapter 4, Item 9b of the Senate Rules—a provision that demands immediate attention. But the Senate President cut me off, ordered the Sergeant-at-Arms to remove me, and directed the Clerk to begin preparing my suspension letter. That wasn’t a reaction; it was a pre-written script,” she stated.

The senator expressed disappointment with the way the situation was handled, accusing Akpabio of overstepping his authority as Senate President.

“He has no authority to unilaterally suspend any senator on the floor. The way he handled it—like I was a staff member in his living room—was not only unlawful but also degrading. My reaction was in response to a decision he had clearly already made,” she added.

Akpoti-Uduaghan further revealed that her suspension came immediately after submitting a formal petition to the Senate leadership.

She stated, “My suspension was retaliatory. The ethics report they cited was merely a smokescreen. I had submitted allegations that shook the system, and the next day, I was silenced.”