Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan Suspended for Six Months After Accusing Senate President Akpabio
Nigerian Senate Suspends Female Senator Over Harassment Allegation
The Nigerian Senate has suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months after she accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment—a claim he has denied. Effective from Thursday, her suspension includes the withdrawal of her allowances and security.
On Wednesday, the Senate ethics committee dismissed Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition regarding the alleged harassment, citing violations of procedural rules. Her subsequent suspension was linked to an earlier dispute in the Senate over a change in her seating arrangement.
In a TV interview on February 28, Akpoti-Uduaghan—one of only four women in the 109-seat chamber—claimed that Senate President Godswill Akpabio made unwanted sexual advances toward her in 2023.
“This injustice will not be sustained,” she said on Thursday after being blocked from speaking in the Senate and escorted out by the sergeant-at-arms.
Akpabio has denied the allegation. “Since the 20th of February, I have been inundated with phone calls from various Nigerians. I would like to state that at no time did I sexually harass Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan,” he said at the start of Wednesday’s plenary session.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed a lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, seeking 100 billion naira ($64,000) in damages.
While such cases are rare in Nigeria’s National Assembly, this is not the first time allegations of sexual harassment or assault have surfaced. In a previous incident, Senator Dino Melaye was accused of threatening to sexually assault Senator Remi Tinubu, now Nigeria’s first lady, though he was never charged.
