- The Kogi lawmaker described her suspension as unlawful, insisting it did not remove her legitimacy as an elected senator.
- Despite the six-month suspension forbidding her from identifying as a senator, she participated in the meeting as an official representative.
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing
Kogi central has provided a detailed explanation of how she managed to attend the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in New York, despite not being officially selected by the Nigerian government.
Akpoti-Uduaghan exclusively told PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday in an interview that she registered for the event online as a senator and received accreditation because she was already on IPU’s mailing list from a previous attendance.
She further explained that she personally covered the expenses for her journey to the global parliamentary gathering after obtaining approval to be present.
“I registered online as a senator. The suspension does not remove my legitimacy as a senator. I registered online and got a pass,” the newspaper quoted Natsaha as saying.
“I attended the same programme last year and was already on the mailing list. After I got a pass, I bought my own ticket and funded my trip and participation at the event.”
This was not the first time attending an IPU event. She had previously accompanied Senate President Godswill Akpabio to the 148th IPU General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, in March 2024 as part of Nigeria’s official delegation.
Also in attendance as part of the delegation were Cross-River South Senator, Ekpenyong Asuquo, and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu.
During the assembly, Akpabio advocated for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and urged the unconditional release of all hostages.
He also pushed for access to humanitarian aid for those affected by the conflict.
Clarifying how she gained access, Akpoti-Uduaghan stated that she was able to attend the latest IPU event due to her previous participation in a meeting organised by the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).
She also mentioned that her involvement in the Geneva IPU event in 2024 as part of Nigeria’s delegation contributed.
The Kogi lawmaker further pointed out that the IPU meeting is not limited to government officials but is also accessible to private individuals and civil society organisations.
Akpoti-Uduaghan clarified that she travelled to New York using a visa on her ordinary Nigerian passport rather than an official one.
Speaking further, she criticised her suspension from the Senate as unlawful, stating that it did not invalidate her position as an elected senator.
However, the conditions of the six-month suspension clearly prohibit her from identifying as a senator, both within Nigeria and internationally, during the suspension period.
Despite this restriction, she maintained that she attended the IPU event in an official capacity and spoke as a legitimate representative of her constituents.
During the interview, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan also alleged that plans were in motion to have her arrested upon her return to Nigeria.
“… I’m aware there are plans underway to have me arrested as soon as I arrive Abuja,” she claimed.
“The Senate President Akpabio sent three staff headed by the Chargè D’Affairs of the Nigerian embassy in New York to evacuate me from the United Nations premises right after my speech. I was rescued by parliamentarians from other countries and the security.”
Attempts by the newspaper to contact the Senate president for a response were unsuccessful. His spokesperson, Eseme Eyiboh, has not responded to multiple calls from this reporter. A response to a text message sent to him is still awaited.
Additionally, efforts to reach the Senate’s spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, were unsuccessful as his phone was unreachable on Sunday morning.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s participation in the IPU meeting is said to have triggered a government investigation.
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