The Senate has suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months following her sexual harassment allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The decision, made on March 6, 2024, was based on a recommendation from the Senate Committee on Ethics. During her suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan will lose her salary, security details, and access to National Assembly premises.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s office will be locked, and her legislative aides will not receive salaries during her six-month suspension from the Senate. The suspension, which does not allow for reconsideration unless she submits a formal apology, follows a confrontation in which Akpoti-Uduaghan protested the reassignment of her seat by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, claiming it was an attempt to silence her.
Her suspension was voted on after she was not permitted to speak, with most senators supporting the Ethics Committee’s recommendation. Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro endorsed this decision, likening her situation to “correcting a child” in line with cultural norms. Although the Ethics Committee initially suggested a six-month suspension, it was later reduced to three months after Senator Moro argued for leniency. To appeal her suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan must submit a written apology for allegedly breaching Senate rules.
The session took a dramatic turn when Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan arrived to find her seat reassigned and her nameplate removed. She protested loudly, seeking an explanation for what she regarded as an unfair action. Following this, her conduct was referred to the Ethics Committee.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio directed the Senator Neda Imasuen-led Ethics Committee to investigate the situation thoroughly and report back within two weeks. This decision came after Senator Adeyemi Adaramodu presented a report on media coverage of the incident, highlighting that the uproar during the previous Thursday’s plenary had significantly harmed the Senate’s reputation.