The Nigerian Senate has suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, for six months.
This decision followed a majority vote in favor of recommendations made by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct.
Additionally, the Senate ruled out any reconsideration of her suspension until the full six-month period expires or she issues an apology.
As a consequence, her office will be sealed, and she will be prohibited from entering the National Assembly premises. Her salary, along with that of her legislative aides, will also be withheld during this time.
To have the suspension lifted, Akpoti-Uduaghan must submit a formal written apology for breaching Senate rules.
Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro supported the ethics committee’s report, arguing that her actions warranted disciplinary measures. He likened the situation to correcting a child, saying, “In our tradition, when you discipline a child with one hand, you embrace them with the other.”
The suspension follows a tense confrontation in the Senate last week when Akpoti-Uduaghan protested the reassignment of her seat by Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Upon arriving at the session, she discovered that her nameplate had been removed and her seat reallocated. This led her to challenge the decision, accusing the Senate leadership of sidelining her and attempting to silence her voice.
