Taiwo Popoola
Founder of Anap Foundation, Atedo Peterside, has condemned the suspension of Kogi Central senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, describing it as disrespectful to her constituents.
Peterside, in a post on X on Sunday, said the action by the Senate was disturbing, pledging that he stands with the female lawmaker amid her ordeal.
“The most disturbing aspect of the Nigerian Senate hullabaloo around Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is that the Senate leadership must be aware that her suspension for six months is ultra vires and also disrespectful to her constituents in Kogi State, but they don’t care,” he said.
It could be recalled that the rift between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan reached a climax on Thursday, when the Senate wielded the big stick and suspended the Kogi Central senator who accused the Senate President of sexual harassment and abuse of office after a seat arrangement conflict on February 20, 2025.
Akpabio had denied the sexual harassment allegations against him by the Kogi lawmaker.
Natasha also slammed a N100 billion defamation suit on Akpabio while the upper legislative chamber referred her to its disciplinary committee.
Natasha subsequently approached a Federal High Court in Abuja and got an order restraining the Senate committee from conducting disciplinary proceedings against her, with the case adjourned to March 10, 2025.
On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, the Senate committee dismissed Akpoti-Uduaghan’s sexual harassment and abuse of office petition against Akpabio, declaring it “dead on arrival” based on procedural violations and legal constraints, but the female senator re-submitted the petition on Thursday.
The seat row wasn’t the first between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan.
In July 2024, the Senate President apologised to Natasha over his nightclub comment about the lawmaker.
