IPU Speech: There Are Plans to Arrest Me Upon My Return to Nigeria – Senator Natasha Alleges

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has alleged that there are plans to arrest her upon her return to Nigeria following her recent appearance at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in New York, where she raised concerns over sexual harassment allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

According to a report by *PREMIUM TIMES*, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan said her participation at the UN-hosted event triggered threats against her. She claimed that after delivering her speech, which highlighted her suspension from the Senate and the harassment allegations against Akpabio, Nigerian Embassy officials, led by the Chargé D’Affaires, attempted to eject her from the venue. The senator noted that she was only able to remain after international parliamentarians and event security intervened.

She clarified that she registered for the conference as an individual senator, having previously attended IPU sessions and remained on their mailing list. Akpoti-Uduaghan explained that she personally funded her trip and did not travel using an official Nigerian passport. Despite her six-month suspension from the Senate, she insisted that she remains a legitimate senator and was within her rights to speak at the IPU event.

The senator has previously attended IPU events as part of Nigeria’s official delegation, including the 148th IPU Assembly in Geneva in 2024, where she accompanied Akpabio. Her recent attendance, however, was independent of any government nomination, prompting Nigeria’s intelligence agencies—the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA)—to launch a joint investigation. The probe is examining how she obtained access, whether her presence was facilitated by external actors, and whether she violated any protocols or misrepresented Nigeria’s position at the international forum.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan used her platform at the IPU to report her suspension and the alleged harassment by Akpabio. She described her suspension as illegal and emblematic of the broader challenges faced by women in Nigerian politics. “I am not here to bring shame to my country; I am here to bring help to the women of our country,” she said, addressing the international audience. She explained that her suspension followed her submission of a petition against Akpabio, in which she had requested a fair investigation by the Senate’s ethics committee.

According to her, the Senate responded with punitive measures, including withdrawing her security, cutting her salary, removing her staff, and banning her from identifying as a senator both domestically and abroad. She framed the situation as a broader indictment of the political environment for women in Nigeria, pointing out that women make up only 2.8% of the Senate.

In response to her address, the Nigerian Senate, through a letter read by Hon. Kafilat Ogbara at the IPU, denied the harassment allegations and stated that Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for “gross misconduct and unruly behaviour,” not because of any harassment claim. The letter, signed by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, accused her of spreading misinformation and misrepresenting the circumstances of her suspension.

Meanwhile, both Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio are expected to testify before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions. Senate Deputy Chief Whip Onyekachi Nwebonyi confirmed during an interview that the committee would hear testimonies from all involved parties, including other senators who were present at the time of the alleged incident. Akpoti-Uduaghan has alleged that Akpabio sexually harassed her during a visit to his residence in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, in December 2023.