The Senate has suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months following her sexual harassment allegation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The decision was reached on Thursday, March 6, 2025, after the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions recommended disciplinary action against her.
As part of the suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan will lose her salary and security details, be barred from the National Assembly premises, and have her office locked. Additionally, her legislative aides will not receive salaries during this period. The Senate also ruled out reconsidering the suspension unless she submits a formal apology.
Her suspension follows a tense confrontation in the Senate, where she protested the reassignment of her seat by Akpabio. She arrived at the plenary to find her nameplate removed and her seat reassigned, which she claimed was an attempt to silence her.
The suspension was put to a vote after she was denied the opportunity to speak, with the majority siding with the Ethics Committee’s report.
Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro supported the committee’s decision, stating that her actions warranted disciplinary measures. He likened the move to “correcting a child,” referencing Nigerian cultural norms.
To appeal the suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan must submit a written apology to the Senate for allegedly violating its rules.
