Tensions within Nigeria’s Senate escalated as Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Chairman of the Senate Interparliamentary Committee, criticized suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), calling it “dead on arrival.”
In a statement issued from Abuja on Thursday, Ibrahim questioned the legitimacy and potential impact of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s actions, intensifying the political standoff that has gripped the Senate in recent weeks.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, has been embroiled in a dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio since her suspension on March 6. The suspension followed a heated altercation regarding a new Senate seating arrangement, with Akpoti-Uduaghan claiming the move was an attempt to undermine her. The conflict took a more serious turn when she publicly accused Akpabio of punishing her for allegedly rejecting his sexual advances, sparking widespread public debate.
Taking her grievances to the international stage, Akpoti-Uduaghan addressed the Women in Parliament session at the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York. In her speech, she called for international intervention to hold the Nigerian Senate accountable, presenting herself as a victim of political and gender-based marginalization.
However, Ibrahim wasted no time dismissing her petition, questioning its procedural legitimacy. “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, who previously served as the interim president of the IPU in Geneva in 2023, emphasized his familiarity with the organization’s protocols, making it clear that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s efforts were unlikely to achieve 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 ongoing controversy surrounding Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension and her allegations against Akpabio continues to fuel political discourse, with both sides standing firm. While Akpoti-Uduaghan’s efforts to seek international support have drawn attention to her claims, they now face significant procedural hurdles and political opposition within Nigeria.
