The Senate has imposed a six-month suspension on Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan following the sexual harassment allegations she made against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
This decision was made during the plenary session on Thursday, based on a recommendation from the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.
As part of the suspension, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan will have her salary and security details revoked, and she will be prohibited from entering the National Assembly premises.
Additionally, her office will be secured, and her legislative aides will not receive their salaries throughout this period. The Senate has also stated that her suspension will not be reconsidered until the six-month duration concludes or she submits a formal apology.
The suspension follows a contentious incident in the Senate, where Akpoti-Uduaghan expressed her discontent over the reassignment of her seat by Akpabio. Upon attending the plenary session, she discovered that her nameplate had been removed and her seat reassigned, which she interpreted as an effort to silence her. The vote on her suspension occurred after she was denied the chance to address the Senate, with the majority supporting the Ethics Committee's findings.
Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro endorsed the committee's recommendation, asserting that her conduct necessitated disciplinary measures. He compared the action to "correcting a child," drawing on cultural references within Nigeria.