The Chairman of the Senate Interparliamentary Committee Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, has strongly criticized the petition filed by suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), describing it as “dead on arrival.” The former Ondo governorship candidate made these remarks in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was suspended from the Senate on March 6 following a heated altercation over a new seating arrangement, had escalated her dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio by presenting her case at the United Nations forum, the IPU. In her petition, she accused Akpabio of political victimization and alleged that her suspension was a result of her refusal to entertain his sexual advances. She also called for international intervention to hold the Nigerian Senate accountable for its actions.
However, Ibrahim refuted Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims, arguing that her petition to the IPU was without merit, as she was not a member of the organization. He explained that the IPU’s membership is extended to countries, not individuals, and as such, only a member state can lodge a petition against another member state. He emphasized that Nigeria is a member of the IPU, not Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan herself, and as such, her petition could not be entertained.
Ibrahim, who served as the interim president of the IPU in 2023, further clarified that Akpoti-Uduaghan did not have the authorization to represent Nigeria at the IPU. He stated, “The suspended Senator cannot represent the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and I did not approve or authorize her attendance at the IPU on behalf of Nigeria.”
The tensions between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate leadership had been escalating, with the suspended senator accusing Akpabio of punishing her for her refusal to comply with his alleged sexual advances. These claims have added a layer of complexity to her ongoing dispute with the Senate, as she seeks to garner international support for her allegations.
Despite Ibrahim’s criticism, the matter continues to unfold, with Akpoti-Uduaghan maintaining her position and pushing for greater accountability within Nigeria’s legislative processes.
