Natasha’s IPU Petition Is Dead On Arrival – Senate Interparliamentary Chair

The Chairman of the Senate Interparliamentary Committee, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, has dismissed the petition filed by suspended Kogi Central senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), calling it “dead on arrival.”

In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, Ibrahim argued that Akpoti-Uduaghan had no standing to present a case to the IPU, as she was not a member of the union.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was suspended on March 6 after a confrontation with the Senate leadership over seating arrangements, had taken her grievances to the Women in Parliament session at the United Nations, accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of political victimisation.

She also claimed on national television that Akpabio had suspended her for rejecting his alleged sexual advances.

Ibrahim maintained that only a member state could lodge a petition against another member state within the IPU, making Akpoti-Uduaghan’s petition invalid.

He said, “A petition can only be lodged against another member state by a member state. This implies that the IPU cannot consider petitions from individuals who are not members. The suspended Senator Natasha is not a member of the IPU, but Nigeria is!

“Additionally, the suspended Senator cannot represent the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I served as the interim president of the IPU in Geneva in 2023, and I am familiar with how the IPU operates after presiding over its proceedings.

“Furthermore, as Chairman of the Interparliamentary Committee in the Nigerian Senate, I did not approve or authorise the suspended Senator Natasha to attend the IPU on behalf of Nigeria to the Senate President.”

Titilope Adako

Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.

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