Atedo Peterside, the founder of the Anap Foundation, claims that the Senate’s decision to suspend Senator Natasha
Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central is disrespectful to her constituents.
The founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc called the suspension of the female lawmaker “disturbing” in a post on X on
Sunday.
“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,” Peterside stated, pledging that he stands with the female lawmaker amid her
ordeal.
The protracted feud between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan reached a climax on Thursday,
March 6, 2025, 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 refuted the Kogi lawmaker’s claims of sexual harassment against him.
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A N100 billion alleged defamation suit was also brought against him by the female senator, and she was referred to
the Senate disciplinary committee by the Akpabio-led upper legislative house.
After that, the Kogi legislator went to a Federal High Court in Abuja, where she was granted an order prohibiting the
Senate committee from pursuing disciplinary action against the female senator. The matter was then postponed until
March 10, 2025.
On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, the Senate committee dismissed Akpoti-Uduagha’s sexual harassment and abuse of
office petition against the senate president, 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 was not the first between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan. In July 2024, the Senate President apologized
to the female lawmaker over his nightclub comment against the female lawmaker
