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Tag: Natasha

  • BREAKING: Senate suspends Natasha for six months

    BREAKING: Senate suspends Natasha for six months

    The Senate has suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghen for six months over her recent conduct at the Senate.

    This followed investigations from the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, which cited her for total violation of Senate rules.

    Read Also: FULL LIST: Seven recommendations made by Senate committee on Senator Natasha

    According to the committee’s recommendation read by its chairman, Senator Neda Imasuen, Senator Natasha’s suspension will take effect on March 6, 2025.

    Details shortly…

  • JUST IN: Natasha resubmits sexual harassment petition against Akpabio

    JUST IN: Natasha resubmits sexual harassment petition against Akpabio

    Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has again petitioned the Senate, accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment—this time with signatures from her constituents supporting the claim.

    During Thursday’s plenary, the Senate sought clarification on whether the matter was before any court, to which Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan responded that it was not. 

    Following due process, she was asked to submit the petition formally, and it was subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct for investigation.

    Read Also: Senate must stop attempts to silence Natasha – Akande

    The committee has been given four weeks to conduct its inquiry and report back to the Senate.

    This is the second time the Kogi Central lawmaker has raised the allegation in the chamber, after a previous petition was dismissed on Wednesday due to procedural issues.

    Details shortly…

  • Senate must stop attempts to silence Natasha – Akande

    Senate must stop attempts to silence Natasha – Akande

    Former presidential spokesman Laolu Akande has expressed concern regarding what he describes as attempts to suppress the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

    Akpoti-Uduaghan recently accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment, a claim that Akpabio has vehemently denied.

    Speaking on Thursday at Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Akande urged the Senate leadership to end what he termed a coordinated effort against the lawmaker.

    “They need to cease all these images, meetings, and collusion against this woman. That has to stop. The leadership of the Senate must demonstrate that there will be a dispassionate consideration of her allegations,” he stated.

    He underlined the importance of due process in addressing the issue, rather than what seems to be a collective effort to discredit her.

    “Once that is sorted, if you think that there is a need to punish her for violating the rules, it is the better way to handle it. This idea of all of the men coming out and brandishing the rules is not looking pretty at all,” he stated.

    Read Also: Senator Natasha never accused me of sexual harassment, Fayemi clarifies

    Akande warned that the Senate’s handling of the matter could send the wrong message, suggesting an attempt to silence Akpoti-Uduaghan.

    “This woman has said to the whole world that she has been sexually harassed. We have to be careful, the Nigerian Senate has to be careful not to create an impression that we are trying to silence her,” he said.

    He further criticised the public response from male lawmakers, arguing that their action is a poor reflection on the Senate.

    “What we have been seeing so far is a lot of men holding meetings, speaking out, and coming to the media to run this woman down. It is a poor reflection on the Nigerian Senate,” Akande added.

  • JUST IN: Natasha absent as Senate committee probes plenary conduct

    JUST IN: Natasha absent as Senate committee probes plenary conduct

    Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, was absent on Wednesday as the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions examined her conduct during last week’s heated plenary session.

    Her absence followed a confrontation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over seat allocation, during which she accused him of public humiliation and obstructing her legislative motions.

    The dispute led to Akpabio denying her the opportunity to speak, prompting the Senate to refer the matter to its Ethics Committee for review.

    Read Also: Akpabio denies sexual harassment allegations by Natasha

    During the hearing, Committee Chairman Senator Neda Imasuen (PDP, Edo South) noted her absence, stating, “Senator Natasha was duly invited to this meeting. We hope she will join us as we continue.”

    As of the time of filing this report, Akpoti-Uduaghan had yet to appear before the committee.

  • BREAKING: Court stops Senate from probing Natasha

    BREAKING: Court stops Senate from probing Natasha

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an interim order restraining the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions from conducting a disciplinary proceeding against the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

    The presiding judge, Obiora Egwuatu, gave the order on Tuesday following an ex parte application filed by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s counsel.

    Read Also: BREAKING: Pro-Natasha protest rocks NASS over Akpabio

    The court presided by Justice Obiora Egwuatu gave the order on Tuesday following an ex parte application filed by counsels to Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central.

    The ruling comes as the committee was set to convene and potentially impose an indefinite suspension on the senator.

    This interim order halts all proceedings on the matter pending further judicial review.

    Details shortly…

  • Natasha: False allegations won’t be rewarded, says Senate Deputy Chief Whip

    Natasha: False allegations won’t be rewarded, says Senate Deputy Chief Whip

    Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Senator Onyekachi Peter Nwebonyi, has reaffirmed that false allegations will neither be tolerated nor rewarded, amid the controversy surrounding Senate President Godswill Akpabio and accusations made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

    Nwebonyi described the allegations as personal, unsubstantiated, and conveniently timed, asserting that the Senate will not be blackmailed into legitimizing baseless claims.

    Drawing a distinction between the current controversy and a past case involving former Senate President Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, he noted that Saraki’s issue pertained to official duties and was addressed through the Senate Ethics Committee. 

    In contrast, he said, the present accusations are an attempt to divert attention from legitimate disciplinary proceedings.

    Read Also: Natasha: Senate spokesman dismisses sexual harassment allegation against Akpabio

    The Deputy Chief Whip stressed that protecting the Senate from manipulation is crucial, and due process must prevail.

     He urged Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to answer to the Senate Ethics Committee for her misconduct and file a case in the appropriate legal forum if she believes she has a valid claim.

    The Senate Deputy Chief Whip stressed that false allegations will not be rewarded, and the Senate will prioritize protecting its integrity and upholding due process.

    “The Senate must stay focused, maintain order, and refuse to be blackmailed into legitimizing what is clearly an opportunistic and diversionary falsehood”, he stated.

  • Ebira youth leaders condemn Natasha’s allegation against Akpabio

    Ebira youth leaders condemn Natasha’s allegation against Akpabio

    • …passes vote of no confidence in Kogi senator 

    A coalition of Ebira youth leaders has criticised Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over her recent allegations of sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio. 

    In a strongly worded statement, the youth leaders accused the senator of attempting to manipulate public opinion and tarnish the reputation of Akpabio for political gain.

    The statement, jointly signed by the group’s president, Otori Onimisi Abdullahi, and secretary, Alhaji Omeiza Kadiri, dismissed Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims as baseless and inconsistent. 

    They questioned how the alleged harassment could have occurred in the presence of her husband and further challenged her assertion that it took place at Akpabio’s residence in Ikot-Ekpene—a property the Senate President’s wife, Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, has denied they own.

    The youth leaders also criticized the senator’s conduct in the Senate chamber, labeling it as disorderly and disrespectful. 

    They dismissed her claims of victimization over her seat reassignment, arguing that such decisions are routine and not targeted at her personally. 

    “Why the unbridled thirst to sit near principal officers?” the group asked, suggesting that Akpoti-Uduaghan was more interested in media attention than legislative duties.

    Read Also: Natasha: Senate spokesman dismisses sexual harassment allegation against Akpabio

    Furthermore, the statement accused the senator of having a history of making similar harassment allegations, citing previous claims against former presidential aide Reno Omokri and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello. 

    They also noted that none of her female colleagues in the Senate, including opposition members, had come forward in her defense.

    Expressing dissatisfaction with Akpoti-Uduaghan’s performance as a lawmaker, the youth leaders declared a vote of no confidence in her representation of Kogi Central. 

    The group called for a thorough investigation by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions into her conduct, urging that any findings of misconduct should result in appropriate disciplinary action.

    They also warned that, if necessary, they would initiate a legal process to recall her from office.

  • Don’t play politics with Natasha’s allegation, group cautions Saraki

    Don’t play politics with Natasha’s allegation, group cautions Saraki

    A civil society group, Citizens Network for Peace and Development in Nigeria (CNPDN), has cautioned the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, not to play politics with the allegation of sexual harassment leveled against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

    The group also called on the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly not to be distracted by the sexual harassment allegation leveled against the Senate President.

    The group’s executive director, Francis Okereke Wainwei, in a statement in Abuja on Monday, said Sen. Natasha’s allegations and subsequent theatrics were plots by the Kogi State-born lawmaker to escape punishment from the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges investigations for breach of Senate rules.

    According to the group, “It is our highly considered opinion that the sexual harassment allegation is a grand ploy by Sen. Natasha to escape punishment from the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges for her flagrant breach of the Senate rules,” the group argued.

    “She wants to use the sexual harassment allegation to distract the Senate committee and attract sympathy from both the Senate and the Nigerian people as a victim of the illegitimate use of power by the Senate President.”

    They, therefore, called on the Senate to religiously adhere to the strict enforcement of its rules and extant parliamentary procedures to ensure the sustenance of its parliamentary integrity and due process without being swayed negatively by any extraneous distraction or sentiment.

    Read Also: Involving your wife in Natasha’s feud disingenuous, Akeredolu’s wife tells Akpabio

    The group added that the Senate should focus on discharging its constitutional responsibilities and duties to the Nigerian people and shouldn’t waste its precious time and resources on frivolous issues, such as the Sen. Natasha sexual harassment allegation against the Senate President by Senator Natasha, as she didn’t even formally present it before the Senate.

    Condemning the call by the former Senate President, Saraki, that Akpabio should step aside for his Deputy to preside over the investigation of the alleged sexual harassment.

    The group expressed disappointment that such a statement was made by such a highly respected former parliamentarian who knows the rules of the Senate and its parliamentary procedures.

    “Mr. Saraki is aware that before any allegation or any matter can be investigated by the Senate, it must be raised in the Senate or formally presented before it. This matter was never raised or presented in the Senate, so how can the Senate investigate it? And also, the incident Sen. Saraki referred to is materially and factually different from the instant matter,” they noted.

    “While the matter under his Senate Presidency was a matter that directly affected the running of his office as Senate President and was raised in the Senate, this sexual harassment matter is a private matter that allegedly happened outside of the Senate, that doesn’t directly affect the administration of the office of the Senate President and was never formally presented before the Senate.

    “We know that Sen. Saraki is playing politics with this sexual harassment matter. He is using it to attract accolades and applause from his party faithful in preparation for the 2027 elections and also to show solidarity with his party members as a partisan leader, but such comments are not patriotic and don’t mean well for the nation. When issues like this arise, every patriotic leader is expected to be objective and address the issues frontally without being sentimental.”

  • Natasha: No petition about sexual harassment before Senate, says spokesman

    Natasha: No petition about sexual harassment before Senate, says spokesman

    Those waiting for an investigation into Senator Natasha Apoti-Uduaghan’s sexual harassment allegation against Senate President Godswill Akpabio may have to wait a little longer.

    The reason is that there is no petition on the alleged sexual harassment before the Red Chamber, its spokesman Adeyemi Adaramodu told The Nation yesterday.

    Adaramodu was reacting to calls for an investigation into the allegation by the Kogi Central senator.

    The Pan-North socio-political organisation – Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) – yesterday joined some commentators calling for an open and transparent probe.

    During a chat on a national television at the weekend, the senator alleged that she was being victimised by the Senate President for refusing his sexual advances towards her.

    Akpabio’s wife, Nnoma, denied the allegations and filed a N250 billion defamation suit against Mrs. Apoti-Uduaghan.

    However, responding to a question last night, Adaramodu said there is no complaint about sexual harassment before the Senate from Mrs. Apoti-Uduaghan or any other person whatsoever to warrant an investigation.

    He said: “There is no allegation before the Senate. There is none from anybody for that matter. So we don’t pick allegations on television screen or from social media.

    “So, nobody has lodged any allegation with anybody or anyone in the Senate.

    “So, the only issue that is on ground is the breach of the Standing Orders which has been referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions.

    Read Also: Traditional institutions key to Nigeria’s health sector reforms – Minister

    “And I don’t think there’s any other petition or any other complaint before the head committee. So, you will not be… that means there is nothing to refer to the ethics committee again?

    “Unless if anybody brings anything up. So it will be dealt with accordingly. So, for now there is none than the one that we have referred.

    “So, we can be hearing so many things from outside, but within the Senate, no allegation against anybody, no complaints from anybody and no case has been presented to us.”

    Also yesterday, Special Adviser to the Senate President on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, corroborated the Senate spokesman’s claim, insisting that the Senate cannot probe allegations not before it.

    Eyiboh said: “For example, she went to court. There is nowhere in her statement of claims that the issue of sexual harassment is mentioned.

    “There is no way from what is in public domain now and there has never been any time she has brought this to the attention of the Senate on points of privilege that she has been sexually harassed.

    “It’s only a visitor or a first-timer or a stranger who visits his or her guests that is introduced, is taken around the house or taken around the compound.

    “But somebody who is a familiar person in that household may have been taken around the first time he or she came.

    “It’s very strange and sad that we are hearing that Senator Natasha and the husband, their family is very close to the family of the Senator, Godswill Akpabio, the Senate president. They have been visiting each other. It’s not hidden.

    “So, is it just in 2023 during Senator Akpabio’s birthday that they were conducted around; all along, the families were all bonding and getting on together, visiting each other. They didn’t know the house.

    “That is one fact we must interrogate. Then, number two, the same way Senator Natasha is a very beautiful lady in creation.

    “But I can also tell you that the substance in his allegations are not elegant and anybody who pays attention to it is embarking on the on a trip of fantasy.”

    ACF demands probe

    In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Prof Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the Forum urged the Northern Caucus in the Senate to rally round Akpoti-Uduaghan “so that she gets a fair hearing and, ultimately, accorded treatment with all the deserved due respects that she is entitled to in the affairs of the Red Chamber.”

    The ACF called on the National Assembly to “always display exemplary behaviour, edifying comportment, display sensitivity, circumspection personal discipline and be above board in matters of ethics, decorum, moral rectitude and integrity, qualities that are sorely needed but which, very sadly, appear to be in deficit in the way the 10th Senate is being run.”

    Backing the call for investigation, the statement said: “An independent, open, transparent and thorough investigation, devoid of fear, favour or interference of any kind, from any quarters should be conducted”.

  • Akpabio’s wife, Kingibe tackle Natasha over sexual harassment claim

    Akpabio’s wife, Kingibe tackle Natasha over sexual harassment claim

    • My trouble started after I refused his advances, Kogi senator alleges
    • Senate President’s wife rallies to hubby’s defence, threatens litigation
    • My seat has been moved four times, Kingibe faults Akpoti-Uduaghan

    The rift between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, assumed a new dimension yesterday with claims by the latter that Akpabio had previously made advances to her.

    Speaking in an interview on Arise Television, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan recalled that the incident took place during a visit to Akpabio’s residence in Akwa Ibom State shortly after her emergence as senator.

    Alleging that her recent clash with Akpabio in the upper chamber of the National Assembly stemmed from a sexual harassment he previously suffered at the Senate President’s hands, she said: “It all started the day before his birthday and my birthday, because we are birthday mates. We were all in Akwa Ibom.

    “At first, we were in his house at Ikot Ekpene. Then we all went to his house in Uyo. Then he held my hands, walking around from room to room, he showed me the beautiful interiors.

    “He got to this particular sitting room and asked me if I liked his house. I said of course, sir, every room is beautiful, quality taste.

    “He said now you are a senator, I am going to create time for us to come create quality moments here; you will enjoy it.

    “At that point, I just pulled away because I didn’t understand what he meant.”

    The Kogi senator’s claims, however, struck the wrong chord in Senator Akpabio’s wife, Ekaette, who did not only dismiss the allegation as a figment of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s imagination but also threatened legal action against her.

    In an interview with journalists yesterday, Mrs Akpabio described her husband as a disciplined and jovial man, saying that the allegation of sexual harassment leveled against him was fabricated.

    The wife of the Senate President insisted that she was present at their residence on December 8, 2023, the date Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed she was sexually harassed.

    She said both families enjoy a long-standing cordial relationship predating the senator’s marriage to her husband.

    The lawmaker representing the Federal Capital Territory in the Senate, Senator Ireti Kingibe, joined the fray yesterday as she berated her colleague over her outburst against the sitting rearrangement in the upper chamber.

    Kingibe, who also appeared on Arise TV yesterday, carpeted the Kogi senator for repeatedly failing to abide by the Senate rules.

    Read Also: Natasha accuses Akpabio of making sexual advances at her before husband

    She said the other female senators had been quiet on the row provoked by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s reaction to the sitting rearrangement only because they don’t want to say something negative about one of them.

    She said: “Silence is golden, especially when one of us is not following the rules.

    “As women, we did not want to come out publicly to say anything negative about her, and we were hoping all of this would blow over as a lot of things do.

    “The Senate is not a place where we are supposed to fight over trivialities like sitting arrangements.”

    She added: “This is about the rules of the Senate. So, if I can point out that other women have been moved several times on that day.

    “I wasn’t there, but I gathered that several men were also moved.”

    “The truth is, senator Natasha has gotten the most privileges among all four of us (female senators). The seat I sit on now has been moved four times.

    “I want women to know we have to follow the rules of the institution we chose to enter, and that is mostly the point of this visit here.”

    On the allegations of sexual harassment, Kingibe said she is not that close to Akpabio to discuss the subject.

    “I collected some documents for senator Natasha, informed her and went to her house. She told me that she was supposed to discuss something with Akpabio but he said to meet him at a hotel,” Kingibe added.