Tensions within Nigeria’s Senate took a dramatic turn as Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Chairman of the Senate Interparliamentary Committee, criticized suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), describing it as “dead on arrival.”
In a statement issued from Abuja on Thursday, Ibrahim questioned the legitimacy and impact of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s actions, adding yet another layer of controversy to the ongoing political standoff.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, has been at the center of a dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio, which began after her suspension on March 6. The suspension followed an altercation over a new Senate seating arrangement with Natasha claiming that the move was designed to undermine her.
The conflict took an even more serious turn when Akpoti-Uduaghan publicly accused Akpabio of punishing her for allegedly rejecting his sexual advances. This sparked widespread attention and debate.
Taking her grievances beyond Nigeria’s borders, Akpoti-Uduaghan addressed the Women in Parliament session at the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting held at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
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In her speech, she called for international intervention to hold the Nigerian Senate accountable, painting a picture of political victimization and gender-based marginalization.
However, Ibrahim was quick to dismiss her petition, arguing that it lacked both legitimacy and procedural correctness.
“A petition can only be lodged against another member state by a member state,” Ibrahim stated. “This implies that the IPU cannot consider petitions from individuals who are not members. The suspended Senator Natasha is not a member of the IPU, Nigeria is!”
Ibrahim, a former interim president of the IPU in Geneva in 2023, underscored his familiarity with the organization’s protocols, making it clear that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s move was unlikely to yield any official action.
“Furthermore,” he added, “as Chairman of the Interparliamentary Committee in the Nigerian Senate, I did not approve or authorize the suspended Senator Natasha to attend the IPU on behalf of Nigeria or the Senate President.”
The controversy surrounding Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension and her allegations against Akpabio continues to stir political discourse, with both sides standing their ground. Her efforts to seek international support, while drawing attention to the issues she’s raised, now face procedural challenges and political pushback at home.
