Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, escalated her ongoing conflict with Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday by presenting her case at a United Nations forum.
The senator, suspended on March 6 after a confrontation with Akpabio over a new seating arrangement in the Senate, claims the move was designed to undermine her.
Tensions escalated further when Akpoti-Uduaghan publicly accused Akpabio of punishing her for rejecting his alleged sexual advances.
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Speaking at the Women in Parliament session during the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting at the United Nations in New York, Akpoti-Uduaghan appealed for international intervention to hold the Nigerian Senate accountable.
She stressed that her suspension was an act of political victimisation and intimidation for demanding a transparent investigation into the sexual harassment allegations she made against Akpabio. “My call to the international community is that the world must not stay silent as democracy and women’s rights are rolled back in Nigeria. I call on human rights organisations, women’s movements, and democratic institutions to hold the Nigerian Senate accountable. Nigeria needs global partners to push for women’s political inclusion, safety, and protection from political harassment,” she said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan strongly maintained that her suspension was illegal, vowing to continue her fight against what she described as an injustice. She rejected the idea of apologising, framing the situation as an attempt by powerful men to silence her.
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“This is a clear case of political victimisation for speaking against corruption and gender-based violence. The United Nations Declaration defines sexual harassment as a form of gender violence. The Senate’s action is an assault on democracy. I was elected by my constituents to represent them, but powerful men have unilaterally silenced their voices by suspending me for six months,” she declared.
The senator revealed that several male colleagues had urged her to apologise and retract her statements, but she remained firm in her stance. “I will not apologise for my truth. I will serve the six-month suspension, and on the very first day of my return, I will re-present my petition on sexual harassment. I will continue to do so until there is a fair and transparent investigation,” she pledged.
Akpoti-Uduaghan vowed to collaborate with women’s groups, civil society organisations, and legal teams to ensure that her suspension is overturned. “This is bigger than me. No other woman in public office should ever be silenced again,” she asserted.
