The suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has alleged that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, is executing a personal vendetta against her.
This is as she described the processes leading to her suspension from the Senate as illegal.
Naijaonpoint reports Senator Natasha made the submissions on Tuesday while speaking with journalists at the National Assembly gate following her unsuccessful attempt to return to plenary.
She insisted that she remains a duly elected Senator and her mandate is from her constituents who voted for her.
Natasha said there’s no basis for her to remain suspended after Justice Binta Nyako ruled that her suspension was excessive and unconstitutional.
She accused Akpabio of manipulating the Senate process to silence her for speaking out against sexual harassment.
“What happened is that Senator Akpabio himself, as an individual, took the National Assembly, the Senate, the Clerk, and the Ethics Committee to court. That’s important to clarify. There’s no legal basis for me not to resume today.
“Justice Binta Nyako ruled that my suspension was excessive and unconstitutional. She cited Section 63 of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates lawmakers to attend plenary at least 181 days in a year. Denying me that opportunity is a violation of my rights and the rights of my constituents.
“The so-called report recommending my suspension was merely a photocopied attendance sheet of the Ethics Committee. That makes the entire process invalid from the start,” she said.
Natasha also questioned the timing of her suspension, saying it happened just a day after she submitted a sexual allegation petition against Akpabio.
The Kogi lawmaker accused Akpabio of being hostile towards her.
“This is clearly persecution,” she asserted.
“Why was I suspended a day after I submitted a sexual harassment petition? Why the constant attacks, threats, and even a fraudulent recall attempt? And why has the Senate President, in particular, been so hostile toward me?”
Many Senators Are Afraid
She went further to describe Akpabio’s leadership as the “worst the Senate has ever had,” alleging that he does not want anyone to challenge his proceedings.
“When I challenged him on the floor, it wasn’t just an outburst—it was a cry from enduring a year of institutional oppression. Many senators are afraid to speak under him. This isn’t democracy,” Natasha submitted.
She further said the two pending federal criminal cases against her are frivolous and simply an attempt to intimidate her, alleging that some of NAIJAONPOINT es against her would be in jail in Nigeria had an upright and functioning system.
“I’m not on trial for corruption, embezzlement, drug trafficking, or murder. Meanwhile, some of NAIJAONPOINT es against me have files at the EFCC for looting public funds. If our institutions were working, they would be in jail, not in the Senate,” she stressed.
I’m Not Giving Up
Despite her inability to return to the plenary on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she would continue to challenge her suspension and would discuss with her legal team to work against the injustice.
“We’re consulting with my legal team. We may head to the appellate court for a clearer interpretation, but as far as I’m concerned, I am no longer suspended,” she said.
The lawmaker said the matter is not about her, but about her constituency, women in Nigeria, and the future generation, who should not be silenced.
“I’ve been working for my people despite this injustice. I’m a technocrat, a lawyer, an oil and gas expert. I entered politics to raise the bar, not to be silenced.
“This isn’t just about me. It’s about the next generation. Let no woman be punished for speaking up. Let no Nigerian be silenced for demanding justice. We must change the narrative. And with your support, we will,” she submitted.