Senate Suspends Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan For Six Months
The Senate has suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghen for six months for violation of the Red Chambers rules. Her suspension followed her dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio who she accused of sexual harassment, a claim the latter has denied. “That the Senate do suspend Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months for her total violation of the Senate Standing Rules (2023 as amended for bringing the presiding officer and the entire Nigerian Senate to public opprobrium,” Senate President Godswill Akpabio said on Thursday while reading out the recommendations of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct probing her claims. Despite efforts by some senators to reduce the suspension period to three months, the Senate, in a majority vote, sustained the initial decision. However, the lawmakers ruled that the suspension could be lifted or reduced if she tenders a written apology. “For the Senate to consider lifting this suspension or reducing the tenure of the suspension, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan shall submit a written apology to the Senate before her reconsideration by the Nigerian Senate,” Akpabio said at the Red Chambers on Thursday. It, however, agreed that her aides’ salaries be paid, contrary to the recommendation of the committee. “The aides of Natasha are not Natasha,” Senator Orji Kalu said while calling for an amendment to the sanctions. “It would be wrong for this Senate to deprive these aides of their allowances.” Following her suspension, the Kogi Central lawmaker was escorted out of the chambers by the Sergeant-At-Arms, but before she left she declared that “this injustice would not be sustained”.
Admin | 2025-03-06 17:42:07