The Senate has suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months following the sexual harassment allegation she made against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The decision, made on Thursday, March 6, 2024, was based on a recommendation from the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.

As part of the suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan will have her salary and security details withdrawn, and she will be barred from accessing the National Assembly premises. Additionally, her office will be locked, and her legislative aides will not receive their salaries during this period. The Senate has also ruled that her suspension will not be reconsidered until the six-month term concludes or until she submits a formal apology.

The suspension follows a dramatic confrontation in the Senate, where Akpoti-Uduaghan protested the reassignment of her seat by Akpabio. When she arrived at a plenary session, she found that her nameplate had been removed and her seat reassigned, which she claimed was an attempt to silence her. Her suspension was put to a vote after she was denied the chance to speak, with the majority supporting the Ethics Committee’s recommendation.

Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro backed the committee’s decision, arguing that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s actions warranted disciplinary measures. He compared the suspension to “correcting a child,” drawing on Nigerian cultural norms.

To appeal her suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan must submit a written apology to the Senate for allegedly violating its rules.

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