Akpoti-Uduaghan suspended for misconduct- Senate clarifies
The Senate Leader, Bamidele Opeyemi, has clarified that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for gross misconduct, not because of a sexual harassment allegation she made against Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
Opeyemi who made the disclosure in a statement on Saturday, said false narratives are being circulated by certain media organisations on Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension.
Opeyemi stressed that Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended solely for her persistent acts of misconduct, blatant disregard for the provisions of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 and gross indiscipline.
The statement read, “The Authority of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria firmly rebuts the deliberate misinformation and false narratives being circulated by certain media organizations regarding the six-month suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan.
“Let it be unequivocally stated that Senator Uduaghan was suspended solely for her persistent acts of misconduct, blatant disregard for the provisions of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (As Amended) and gross indiscipline—nothing more, nothing less.
“It has come to the attention of the Senate that some media reports are attempting to falsely suggest that Senator Uduaghan’s suspension was due to allegations of sexual harassment.
“This is completely untrue, misleading, and a calculated attempt to distort the facts. If Senator Uduaghan had strictly followed our guiding principles, the Senate would have treated her petition based on merit in line with its practice. But she never obeyed the established practices of the institution where she was serving”, he added.
He further said that the Kogi lawmaker’s suspension was a decision of the committee of the whole Senate following the submission of a report by the chairman, Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, Senator Neda Imaseun, adding, “The report found her guilty of violating Sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Senate Rules and recommended her immediate suspension”.
