In a dramatic twist that has gripped Nigeria’s political scene, reports surfaced on March 26, 2025, claiming that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, had publicly apologized to the Senate following her contentious six-month suspension. However, the senator swiftly debunked these claims, labeling them as false and reaffirming her unwavering stance in a saga that has sparked debates about justice, gender equality, and political retribution in Nigeria. Far from backing down, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s response has intensified the spotlight on her clash with Senate President Godswill Akpabio, raising questions about the motives behind the circulating narrative and the broader implications for the Nigerian Senate.
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The Suspension: A Flashpoint in the Senate
The controversy erupted earlier this month when Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only four female senators in the 109-member chamber, was suspended for six months without pay on March 6, 2025. The Senate’s Ethics Committee cited “unruly and disruptive behavior” during a plenary session on February 20, stemming from a dispute over her reassigned seat. The suspension stripped her of legislative privileges, including security details, salaries, and access to the National Assembly premises, igniting outrage among her supporters and women’s rights advocates.
The roots of this disciplinary action trace back to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations of sexual harassment against Akpabio, which she first aired publicly in late February on Arise TV. She accused the Senate President of making unwanted advances, claiming that her refusal to comply fueled his antagonism, including the seat reassignment she described as a “trap” to silence her. The Senate dismissed her petition on procedural grounds, asserting it failed to meet formal requirements, and instead pivoted to her conduct during the seating dispute as justification for the suspension.
The Apology That Never Was
On March 26, a report from Naija Media Trends suggested that Akpoti-Uduaghan had issued a public apology to the Senate, a move that would have marked a stunning reversal from her defiant posture. The claim sent shockwaves across social media and news outlets, with many interpreting it as a capitulation under pressure. However, within hours, the senator took to X to set the record straight, declaring the reports “false and misleading.” In a statement issued on March 24, she had already emphasized her resolve: “I, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, stand firm in my resolve to never apologise for speaking my truth. The desperation to silence me is palpable, but I will not be intimidated.”
This swift rebuttal has cast doubt on the origins of the apology narrative. Some speculate it may have been a deliberate attempt to undermine her credibility or pressure her into submission, a tactic not uncommon in Nigeria’s rough-and-tumble political arena. Akpoti-Uduaghan herself hinted at manipulation, urging the public to disregard “fabricated statements” and accusing unnamed forces of hijacking institutions to suppress dissent.
A Defiant Stand Amid Mounting Pressure
Far from retreating, Akpoti-Uduaghan has doubled down on her accusations against Akpabio, framing her suspension as an illegal and unjust effort to muzzle her. In an interview with Sky News on March 20, she alleged that Akpabio had conditioned her legislative privileges on “pleasing him,” a claim she said turned his initial harassment into outright malice when she resisted. “I believe my suspension is a way of silencing me,” she asserted, linking it directly to her petition filed on March 5—followed by her suspension the very next day.
Her defiance has not come without cost. The senator has reported heightened personal risks, including the withdrawal of her security detail, leaving her and her two-year-old child vulnerable. Speaking to the BBC on March 19, she likened the Senate to a “cult” under Akpabio’s dictatorial leadership, a characterization his office has vehemently rejected. These bold statements have amplified her cause on the global stage, with her addressing the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and UN Women in New York on March 11, seeking international intervention.
The Senate’s Defense and Public Backlash
The Senate, led by figures like Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, has maintained that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension stemmed solely from her breaches of the Senate Standing Orders 2023, not her harassment claims. A statement from Bamidele, read by Representative Kafilat Ogbara at the IPU, listed offenses including speaking without recognition, refusing her assigned seat, and defying the Ethics Committee’s summons. The Senate has condemned media narratives tying the suspension to her petition as “irresponsible,” insisting that procedural lapses rendered her allegations inadmissible.
Yet, this explanation has failed to quell public skepticism. Prominent voices like human rights lawyer Femi Falana have branded the suspension “legislative recklessness,” citing legal precedents that question the Senate’s authority to suspend elected officials. Civil society groups and feminist organizations have rallied behind Akpoti-Uduaghan, staging protests in Abuja and decrying her treatment as emblematic of systemic misogyny in Nigerian politics. The hashtag #WeAreAllNatasha has trended on X, reflecting solidarity with her fight against what many see as patriarchal oppression.
Political Maneuvering or Pursuit of Justice?
The conflicting narratives have fueled speculation about the true motives at play. For Akpoti-Uduaghan’s detractors, her actions are a calculated bid for attention, with some male senators suggesting she fabricated the harassment claims after losing a coveted committee chairmanship in February. Akpabio himself, speaking on March 8, dismissed her allegations as “useless” and retaliatory, tied to the seat change rather than any misconduct on his part.
Conversely, her supporters argue that the Senate’s harsh response—and the subsequent apology rumor—betrays a concerted effort to discredit a rare female voice challenging the status quo. The timing of her suspension, the dismissal of her petition, and the swift spread of the apology claim lend credence to theories of a political witch-hunt, especially given Akpabio’s powerful ties to President Bola Tinubu.
What Lies Ahead
As of March 27, 2025, the situation remains fluid. Akpoti-Uduaghan has vowed to continue her “pursuit of justice,” bolstered by a Federal High Court injunction on March 5 restraining the Ethics Committee from proceeding against her—a ruling the Senate controversially ignored. Meanwhile, her constituents in Kogi Central have escalated the stakes, with over 250,000 voters reportedly signing a recall petition submitted to INEC on March 25, though she disputes its legitimacy.
Whether this saga ends in her vindication, recall, or further escalation, it has undeniably exposed fault lines in Nigeria’s democratic institutions. For now, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan stands unapologetic, her voice a lightning rod in a storm of power, gender, and politics that shows no signs of abating.
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