₦airaland Forum

Mrs Akpoti Uduaghan says she attended the IPU meeting in New York as the legitimate representative of her consistuency.

Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has provided a detailed account of how she successfully attended the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in New York, despite not being officially nominated by the Nigerian government.

In an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan explained that she registered for the meeting online as a senator and secured her accreditation because she was already on IPU’s mailing list as a past attendee.

The senator noted that she personally funded her trip to the global parliamentary gathering after receiving approval to attend.

“I registered online as a senator. The suspension does not remove my legitimacy as a senator. I registered online and got a pass. I attended the same programme last year and was already on the mailing list. After I got a pass, I bought my own ticket and funded my trip and participation at the event,” she told PREMIUM TIMES.

This is not her first attendance at an IPU event. She accompanied the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to the 148th IPU General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland in March, 2024 as part of Nigeria’s official delegation.

Cross-River South Senator, Ekpenyong Asuquo, and the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, were also part of the delegation.

During the assembly, Mr Akpabio, called for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza and the unconditional release of all hostages. He also called for access to humanitarian aid for victims of the war conflict zone.

Clarifying her mode of access, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan explained that she attended the recent IPU event through her past participation in a meeting organised by the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). Her presence at an IPU event in Geneva in 2024 as part of Nigeria’s delegation also helped, she said.

She added that the IPU event is not exclusive to government officials but also open to individuals and civil society organisations as well.

Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan clarified that she travelled to New York with a visa on her ordinary Nigerian passport and not with an official passport.


Legitimacy of her attendance despite suspension

Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan described her suspension from the Senate as illegal, saying that did not, however, take away her legitimacy as an elected senator.

However, her six-month suspension explicitly prohibits her from identifying herself as a senator, both locally and internationally, during the suspension period.

Despite this restriction, she insisted that she attended the IPU meeting in her official capacity and spoke as a legitimate representative of her people.


Alleged plans to arrest her

During the interview, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan also alleged that plans are underway to arrest her upon her return to Nigeria.

“… I’m aware there are plans underway to have me arrested as soon as I arrive Abuja,” she said.

“The Senate President Akpabio sent three staff headed by the Chargè D’Affairs of the Nigerian embassy in New York to evacuate me from the United Nations premises right after my speech. I was rescued by parliamentarians from other countries and the security.”

The senate president could not be reached for comment. His spokesperson, Eseme Eyiboh, has yet to respond to multiple telephone calls made to him by this reporter. His response to a text message sent to him is still being awaited.

Meanwhile, the telephone number of the Senate’s spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, was not reachable Sunday morning.

Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s attendance at the IPU meeting has triggered a government investigation.

PREMIUM TIMES had earlier reported that Nigeria’s internal and external intelligence agencies have launched a probe into how she gained access to the meeting without official nomination.

A high-ranking administration official and two top security officials involved in the inquiry confided in PREMIUM TIMES that the State Security Service (SSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), are working to determine how Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan attended the international meeting without approval, who facilitated her trip and accreditation, and whether her participation was orchestrated by interest groups to embarrass Nigeria, its government and its people.

Nigeria believes Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan did not follow the required diplomatic protocols before gaining access to the IPU meeting on 11 March, where she addressed her suspension from the Nigerian Senate, alleging that it was politically motivated to silence her for speaking out against misconduct in the legislative chamber.

Additionally, she raised allegations of sexual harassment against the senate president.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/781241-exclusive-how-i-got-access-to-attend-ipu-meeting-in-new-york-natasha-akpoti-uduaghan.html


Nigeria Launches Probe Into Natasha Akpoti-uduaghan’s Participation At IPU

Many distractions are coming this week

Nigeria Will burn if that woman is arrested. Many Nigerians abroad are ready to come home and support her

This woman should be expelled from the Senate.

She is an attention-seeking LovePeddler.

Not sure if the Nigerian constitution allows for expulsion for repulsive behaviors but she should be recalled or expelled.

Here in the US, any member can be expelled for repulsive behavior such as this as long as 2/3 of the members vote for it.

I love as this government is looking for trouble everywhere
They will get what they looking for and Nigeria will be free

mohbadliveson:
Nigeria Will burn if that woman is arrested. Many Nigerians abroad are ready to come home and support her

Nonsense!
Only u will burn! What do u mean by Nigeria will burn?

Akpos, is this how to represent your constituency?

This lady is a serial blackmailer with daft supporters.

CommonSense1967:
This woman should be expelled from the Senate.

She an attention-seeking LovePeddler.

expelled by who?

Wby don't they do the investigation

I think she was not supposed to appear in that gathering.
She should know when to stop, do things in a write way.
Better option for her was to send a petition to the house and her petition would have been read on the floor of the house.
It was then the house would have invited her and maybe Akpabio perhaps to hear from both sides.
It was clever of the chairperson to brush the matter aside sef.

She should be arrested. Impersonation is a crime. She usurped the official title and position as a representative of the Nigerian Legislative Assembly.

She said it with her own mouth that she was there illegitimately

This woman's news again?

Is a NL Moderator on her paylist?
Asking for a neighbour

mohbadliveson:
Nigeria Will burn if that woman is arrested. Many Nigerians abroad are ready to come home and support her

Tell us another joke!

Which Nigeria will burn?
Maybe the one in her house!

It will even provide food for the unemployed, who will be paid to protest

H

Na waa

Omoawoke:
She said it with her own mouth that she was there illegitimately

ur brain processes dis 👇

op no be LINK or PLUG , u go ALLLEGEDLY ALLEGE Tomorrow?

only NATASHA 1 CRIME, 4 SUSPECTS, na HONEY go dey on ur AKPOTI wey all wan siddon! oo

can we move on please
I'm tired of this woman bullshit

Natasha Akpoti matter may spell doom for Akpabio the way he is going about it. His greatest blunder will be to instigate her arrest for attending the IPU meeting. That may create a groundswell of public support for her which may lead to his sacking as Senate president. Why the fixation with natasha? Abi na guilty conscience dey worry the man ni? Natasha's explanation has effectively preempted the so- called investigation by dss.

dre11:
Mrs Akpoti Uduaghan says she attended the IPU meeting in New York as the legitimate representative of her consistuency.





https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/781241-exclusive-how-i-got-access-to-attend-ipu-meeting-in-new-york-natasha-akpoti-uduaghan.html


Nigeria Launches Probe Into Natasha Akpoti-uduaghan’s Participation At IPU

Does her constituency feel the impact of IPU?

Your constituency representation is in the Nayional Assembly, not IPU. IPU doesn't know the name of your constituency. The.label on her seat didn't read Kogi State, but Nigeria. Next time, she can take Ukrainian seat, since she's also Ukrainian. But I doubt a Ukrainian representative will leasure her seat or talk time to her.

dre11:
Mrs Akpoti Uduaghan says she attended the IPU meeting in New York as the legitimate representative of her consistuency.





https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/781241-exclusive-how-i-got-access-to-attend-ipu-meeting-in-new-york-natasha-akpoti-uduaghan.html


Nigeria Launches Probe Into Natasha Akpoti-uduaghan’s Participation At IPU

Just read her statement.
So because you are in their (IPU) mail list as former attendee, you mailed them to attend? Is that not deception?

You don't need to focus on funding your trip, the budget for your former trip must have been inflated, I addition to other allowance ls from tax payers as a Senator. Many Nigerians will be glad to attend if given the opportunity, and they will fund themselves

She's like my former landlady wey born 4 kids for 4 different men, no marriage, still dey think say e dey possible say I dey trip for her. A 66 year old slut wey all her alignment, ball joint, rings, pistons, chain and sprocket and axle don fall for ground. So irritating

mohbadliveson:
Nigeria Will burn if that woman is arrested. Many Nigerians abroad are ready to come home and support her

...burn ni air fryer ko

The way some of you reason and rate nonsense is befuddling abeg!

Natasha is a "desperado"🤔

She should be very careful........"pride goes before a fall"👌

This woman ehnnnnn!!!

CommonSense1967:
This woman should be expelled from the Senate.

She an attention-seeking LovePeddler.

Na person mama una dey call whóre so??

Nigerians..... una never learn for politicians matter ??

No friend, no enemy in politics... Only strategy and drama

Even fubara and wike don greet each other today...

Laslas, Akpabio de ma te o

CommonSense1967:
This woman should be expelled from the Senate.

She an attention-seeking LovePeddler.

Common sense is not common,u don carry her before?

Creamypie:
Like my former landlady wey born 4 kids for 4 different men, no marriage, still dey think say e dey possible say I dey trip for her. A 66 year old slut wey all her alignment, ball joint, rings, pistons, an axle don fall for ground. So irritating

Nawa!

You need to get a grip and a hold of yourself, can't someone in her family talk to her, why so unruly?

You went there to lie, I watched it, you didn't say why you were suspended...this is a travesty against your nation, where is your patriotism?

You are no longer fit to collect money as a senator from the coffers of the nation you lied against and betrayed.

Have you ever seen any other senator of another country go there to complain about personal issues?

Or you think it's only you that have had issues as a senator all over the world?

Why did you lie?

Why did you undermine our courts and national sovereignty?

We are a sovereign nation, what you did shows your slave mentality, how many senators have you seen gone to report their senate at that platform?

Why have you not taken Akpabio to court if you have a case?

You don't know what it means to be a senator, dragging the nation unnecessarily, no foresight or insight at all... it's a shame.

mohbadliveson:
Nigeria Will burn if that woman is arrested. Many Nigerians abroad are ready to come home and support her

lol

We will burn down the country