Suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has broken her silence on her controversial removal from the Nigerian Senate on March 6, 2025.
Suspended Kogi Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Alleges Political Retaliation Behind Senate Suspension
In a candid interview with journalist Adeola Fayehun, aired on Saturday, May 31, 2025, via Fayehun’s YouTube channel, the senator described her suspension as a deliberate, premeditated, and politically driven act orchestrated by top Senate leadership.
According to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, her rights as a duly elected legislator were brazenly violated during the proceedings. She accused the Senate President of gross overreach and abuse of power, alleging that he acted beyond the bounds of his office when he ordered her removal and subsequent suspension.
“The narrative being circulated—that I caused a disruption over seating arrangements—is entirely false,” the senator clarified. “What actually transpired was my attempt to invoke a legitimate point of privilege under Chapter 4, Item 9b of the Senate Rules—a clause that mandates immediate deliberation.
Rather than address the matter, the Senate President abruptly interrupted me, instructed the Sergeant-at-Arms to forcefully remove me, and ordered the Clerk to begin drafting my suspension. This was not a spontaneous disciplinary action; it followed a script that had clearly been written in advance.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan further claimed that her refusal to acquiesce to what she described as unreasonable “demands” from the Senate President had intensified preexisting political tensions. She asserted that her assertiveness and independence were viewed as threats within the power dynamics of the chamber.
“The Senate President acted like he was disciplining a subordinate in his living room,” she said. “He does not possess unilateral authority to suspend a sitting senator during plenary. The process was unlawful, degrading, and clearly aimed at silencing me. My response was not provocative—it was a reaction to a decision that had already been made behind closed doors.”
Adding more weight to her claims, the suspended senator disclosed that her removal came just one day after she submitted a formal petition detailing serious allegations against the Senate leadership. She contended that this timing was no coincidence but rather indicative of a retaliatory agenda.
“I firmly believe my suspension was a direct response to the petition I filed,” Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged. “The so-called ethics report they used as justification was nothing more than a smokescreen. My petition challenged the status quo and exposed uncomfortable truths. The next day, I was silenced.”
The senator expressed concern not only about her personal ordeal but also about the broader implications for Nigeria’s democracy. She emphasized the need for institutional accountability and warned against the misuse of legislative procedures for political vendettas.