Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Accuses Senate President Akpabio of Sexual Harassment

Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of persistent sexual harassment, alleging that her six-month suspension from the Senate was retaliation for rejecting his advances. In an interview with Sky News on March 19, she claimed to have endured his harassment for over a year before speaking out....CONTINUE READING>>>

According to Akpoti-Uduaghan, Akpabio repeatedly suggested that her political standing depended on her willingness to “please him.” She stated that after refusing his alleged demands, he became hostile toward her, blocking her legislative efforts and ultimately orchestrating her suspension.

She formally filed a complaint against Akpabio on March 5, 2025, and just a day later, she was suspended for “gross misconduct.” She rejected this justification, calling the suspension an attempt to silence her.

“I made an allegation of sexual harassment against the Senate President, and the next day I was suspended for six months. I believe my suspension is both illegal and unjust, aimed at silencing my voice,” she said.

Akpoti-Uduaghan also criticized what she called a double standard in the Senate, noting that male senators frequently engage in heated confrontations without facing similar consequences.

“I’ve seen male senators yelling at each other, throwing objects, and creating chaos in the chamber without facing any suspension. But because I am a woman standing up for my rights, I was immediately targeted and punished,” she argued.

She revealed that even her husband attempted to mediate with Akpabio, but his efforts were unsuccessful. She alleged that Akpabio insisted he held ultimate authority in the National Assembly and suggested that she had to “make him happy” to receive legislative support.

“When I approached him for support on critical bills affecting my constituency, he would tell me to ‘please him’ first. Because I didn’t comply, he deliberately blocked my efforts and created unnecessary obstacles. It became a pattern of malice that I couldn’t ignore anymore,” she stated.

Following her suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan took her concerns to international platforms, including the United Nations’ Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in New York, where she called for global attention to political victimization and gender discrimination in Nigeria.

“I felt compelled to take my fight beyond Nigeria because it’s not just about me—it’s about standing up against a culture that punishes women for speaking out while allowing men to act without accountability,” she told the audience.

She also reported facing further punitive measures, including withdrawal of security, salary cuts, and a ban from the National Assembly premises for six months. She described these actions as excessive and designed to intimidate her into silence.