Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, initiated legal proceedings against Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other Senate officials for her six-month suspension without pay. The suspension stemmed from a confrontation during a plenary session regarding seating arrangements, which Akpoti-Uduaghan viewed as targeted against her. Prior to the suspension, she had secured a court injunction against the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, preventing them from investigating her alleged misconduct. The Senate’s subsequent suspension, despite the court order, led Akpoti-Uduaghan to file contempt charges, arguing their actions constituted a willful disregard for the court’s authority. The court warned the defendants that their defiance could result in imprisonment for contempt.
The Senate, however, defended its decision, asserting its right to regulate its internal affairs. Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele claimed the suspension was based on Akpoti-Uduaghan’s violation of Senate rules and not related to any allegations of sexual harassment. He emphasized that the Senate’s actions were guided by rules and regulations derived from the Constitution, ensuring due process and maintaining order within the legislative chamber. Bamidele highlighted the Senate’s constitutional authority to regulate its procedures, including suspension, as a measure to prevent disorder and uphold decorum. He further argued that Akpoti-Uduaghan had not exhausted the internal Senate mechanisms for addressing her grievance before resorting to legal action.
The dispute escalated further when Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan presented her case at the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) forum during a United Nations meeting in New York. She alleged political victimization and detailed the conditions imposed upon her suspension, including withdrawal of security, salary cuts, and a ban from the National Assembly. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s public accusations against Akpabio, including allegations of sexual harassment, added another layer of complexity to the conflict. The Senate, through its representatives at the IPU, refuted these claims, reiterating that the suspension was solely based on her misconduct and disregard for Senate rules.
The Senate delegation at the IPU, led by Kafilat Ogbara, Chairperson of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, presented its position, emphasizing the need for a thorough and impartial investigation into the allegations. They stressed Nigeria’s commitment to upholding women’s rights and combating gender-based violence, highlighting ongoing legislative initiatives to address gender imbalances in parliament. While acknowledging the seriousness of the allegations and counterclaims, Ogbara called for due process and fairness for all parties involved, emphasizing the separation of the sexual harassment allegations from the breach of Senate rules issue.
Senator Solomon Adeola, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, also weighed in, criticizing Akpoti-Uduaghan for escalating the matter to the international stage and not exhausting internal Senate procedures. He reiterated that her lawsuit against the Senate leadership prevented the Senate from addressing her petition until the court resolved the legal proceedings. Adeola argued that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was justified and that she had not followed the established procedures for addressing grievances. Furthermore, he dismissed Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations of sexual harassment as an affront to the Nigerian parliament, urging the IPU to refrain from intervening in internal parliamentary matters.
Former Senate President Ahmad Lawan denied supporting Akpoti-Uduaghan’s sexual harassment allegations against Akpabio. He clarified that his earlier intervention in the Senate, cautioning against a hasty suspension, was based on procedural concerns and upholding the integrity of the legislative process, not an endorsement of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims. Overall, the conflict highlights the tension between the Senate’s authority to regulate its internal affairs and the rights of individual senators, further complicated by allegations of sexual harassment and political victimization. The unfolding legal proceedings and the international attention drawn to the dispute add further complexity to the situation.
