Senate Denies Suspending Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Over Sexual Harassment Allegation

 

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan 

The leadership of the Senate has denied claims that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment.

In a statement released on Saturday, March 8, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele clarified that the six-month suspension, which was handed down on Thursday, March 6, was due to violations of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (As Amended) and her alleged unparliamentary behavior during plenary sessions.

Bamidele emphasized that rather than submitting to the authority of the Senate, Akpoti-Uduaghan had misled the public, suggesting that she was suspended for her sexual harassment allegation against Akpabio. However, he insisted that her disciplinary action was purely based on breaches of legislative decorum.

He also stated that her petition on sexual harassment was never formally considered because it failed to meet the Senate’s procedural requirements for submitting petitions.

According to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, Akpoti-Uduaghan was found guilty of:

‘’Refusing to sit in her assigned seat during plenary on February 25, 2025, despite repeated pleas from the Minority Leader and other ranking senators, speaking without being recognized by the presiding officer, which violates parliamentary procedures, engaging in unruly and disruptive behavior, obstructing Senate proceedings, making abusive and disrespectful remarks against the Senate leadership and defying a summons by the Senate Committee on Ethics to investigate misconduct case.’’

Bamidele stated that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s actions directly challenged the authority of the Senate and violated its Standing Orders. He insisted that her suspension was necessary to restore order and uphold the integrity of the Senate.

He also dismissed claims that her suspension was politically motivated or linked to her sexual harassment petition, calling such suggestions "a malicious attempt to mislead the public."

The Senate leader urged media organizations to report the facts objectively and not distort the disciplinary action into a political controversy.

“This coordinated misinformation campaign is nothing more than an attempt to politicize a disciplinary action that was strictly based on clear violations of Senate Standing Orders,” Bamidele said.