Key points:
- Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan suspended for six months
- She accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of harassment
- Public protests demand a transparent investigation
NIGERIAN lawmakers have suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months, a day after she submitted a petition accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment.
According to media reports, Akpoti-Uduaghan made the allegations last Friday, prompting intense debate in the Senate. However, after dismissing her petition on procedural grounds, the ethics committee recommended her suspension, arguing that she had brought the chamber into disrepute. Despite calls from some senators to reduce the penalty to three months, the majority voted in favour of the full six-month suspension.
The controversy has dominated discussions across Nigeria since Akpoti-Uduaghan’s interview with Arise TV, where she first made the allegations. The case has sparked public outcry, with many prominent figures and advocacy groups calling for an independent investigation into her claims.
On Wednesday, tensions escalated as two groups of protesters gathered outside the National Assembly in Abuja with her supporters chanting ‘Akpabio must go.’
The suspension has intensified scrutiny on Nigeria’s political landscape, with demands growing for transparency and accountability in handling allegations against high-ranking officials.
