₦airaland Forum

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

Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has alleged that Nigerian security officials are planning to arrest her upon her return to Nigeria.

Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed the move is linked to her participation in the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in New York on 11 March, where she raised concerns about her suspension from the Senate and sexual harassment allegations against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

She disclosed this to PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview on Sunday.

“I’m aware there are plans underway to have me arrested as soon as I arrive Abuja,” Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is still in the US after the IPU meeting, said.

The senator did not, however, say which of the security agencies was plotting her arrest.

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 an 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 interest groups orchestrated her participation to embarrass Nigeria, its government and its people.

The IPU meeting

On 11 March, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan attended the IPU meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York, where she narrated the circumstances surrounding her suspension from the Senate.

She alleged that the suspension was politically motivated to silence her for speaking out against misconduct in the legislative chamber and thereafter sought international intervention.

In response, IPU President ,Tulia Ackson, said the parliamentary body would investigate the matter but would also allow the Nigerian Senate to present its side of the story.

However, a Nigerian delegate to the IPU meeting, Kafilat Ogbara, countered Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims when she (Ogbara) addressed journalists at the UN secretariat a day after the former ’s attendance at the IPU meeting.

Mrs Ogbara, the chairperson of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Social Development, read a letter from Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, stating that Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension was due to violations of Senate Standing Rules during plenary sessions and not because of her allegations against Mr Akpabio.

Alleged attempt to remove her from the UN premises

Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that shortly after her speech at the IPU meeting, the senate president sent three officials led by the Chargé d’affairs of the Nigerian Embassy in New York to forcibly remove her from the United Nations premises during the IPU meeting.

“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,” she alleged.

The senate president could not be reached for comment. His spokesperson, Eseme Eyiboh, did not pick up PREMIUM TIMES’ calls to his mobile telephone or respond to a text message.

Similarly, the Senate’s Spokesperson, Yemi Adaramodu, could not be reached as his mobile telephone did not connect..

Source: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/781261-nigerian-govt-planning-to-arrest-me-natasha-akpoti-uduaghan-raises-alarm.html

Hahahahaha
This woman.
Now I see why no man could stay in her life after many children.

I feel sad for chief.
Only God knows what the man goes through at home.

Well it's not that he wanted to marry anyways, it's because she sued him, he just did it.

Hmmmm

I respect the way Ibira youths and women have handled it this far.
If na one tribe now them go say na marginalisation.
That tribe is even supporting her madness more than her own people.
You will think Obidients, IPOB and Igbos will know Natasha better than her own people the Ibira

This would be her last appearance at the Senate.


She should enjoy this while it fades away

Don't worry Ur Igbo supporters will help you..


God bless the good people of Southsouth and southwest.

Southwest stand with Akpabio

BloomingDale:
Because she called out a serial sexual predator?

Sexual predator?

Funny and dry at the same time

They're taking this charade too far

helinues:
Sexual predator?

Funny and dry at the same time

Maybe her papa is one, so she knows from first hand experience?

favor914:
Maybe her papa is one, so she knows from first hand experience?

The way some people are just too emotional about political discussion heh, na to just shake heads

BloomingDale:
Because she called out a serial sexual predator?

Was she suspended for accusing the Senate president of sexual harassment?

Some of you will choose insanity just to display hate for the opposition.
With the long list of men she has accused of sexual harassment without prove, including her husband who she sued, blackmailing him into marriage....
The average Nigerian youth has the brain turned inside out....

I ask you again. Was she suspended for accusing the Senate president or for displaying madness in the red chamber....

How you all turned a blind eye to her display of madness which is on video and you are focusing on her accusations which she doesn't even have evidence of shows how pathetic many of you are......

Lol

Shinjawestern:
Don't worry Ur Igbo supporters will help you..


God bless the good people of Southsouth and southwest.

Southwest stand with Akpabio

Na die you dey.

Nothing concern ewedu with fisherman soup..Not compatible..

donmixc:
Are you the only one in this forum

Always crying to all the moderators over everything

The Helinuis Boy is a Huge JOKE.

Anytime I see his numerous comments and Mumu Topics in this forum, I just laugh.

So JOBLESS.

Dalohad:
Na die you dey.

Nothing concern ewedu with fisherman soup..Not compatible..

Okay chinedu

Interesting movie scene. Meanwhile, i am enjoying this gbas gbos.

BloomingDale:
Because she called out a serial sexual predator?

Do you have evidence of the sexual assault? If no, pls put on a thinking Cap.

EXOUSIAng:
Was she suspended for accusing the Senate president of sexual harassment?

Some of you will choose insanity just to display hate for the opposition.
With the long list of men she has accused of sexual harassment without prove, including her husband who she sued, blackmailing him into marriage....
The average Nigerian youth has the brain turned inside out....

I ask you again. Was she suspended for accusing the Senate president or for displaying madness in the red chamber....

How you all turned a blind eye to her display of madness which is on video and you are focusing on her accusations which she doesn't even have evidence of shows how pathetic many of you are......

I wonder.. They are just too pathetic. I wonder the kind of leaders these people would be.. Biased and idiotic sets with bad and emotional judgements.

BloomingDale:
No need for evidence. We all know how Nigerian men are.

And can we say we all know how Nigerian women are, since it's been noted even with evidences that she's a liar, blackmailer who incites false sexual harassment accusations. Abi the evidences no dey online? Na the one wey no even get evidence you wan dey rant about.

BloomingDale:
Because she called out a serial sexual predator?

She's using the opportunity given to her by her senatorial district for a wrong reason, she's not a worthy representative it will be better if they look for someone else after her 4 years elapse

BloomingDale:
Because she called out a serial sexual predator?

Drop evidence first.

BloomingDale:
Ok, the Nigerian govt wants to arrest her for displaying madness in the red chamber, and not because she accused Akpabio of sexual assault. Got you.

You believe the government wants to arrest her because she said so or because you are just so stupid and dumb that you will believe anything that is said about the government?
Either ways, she knows idiots like you exist that is why she keeps doing what she does. She knows people like are you a so many. Just pathetic.
The likes of you who can't think straight want to be leaders tomorrow.
The country is finished

If I have my way I will get her arrested.This kind of behavior should not be allowed in any organization not even talking about a national institution like senate .she's so full of her self and unruly attitude displayed by her in the Senate shows that she doesn't comply to rules of engagement in her doings.

Let me ask you all, if a goverment official in America were to be suspended for misconduct and the official still self fund them self to an international meeting claiming to represent the country and then in the process deliberately tarnishing America international image, what do you think they will do to such official?

Say they suspend their UN ambassador and she still took herself their and while their try to sabotage their image, do you think Americans will give her a heros welcome?

I think She should be arrested, stripped of all government privileges and access, banned from all government positions, and made to serve jail time. This is a national protocol breach, its even national security breach

She could have easily go on to agree on deals, vote on behalf of the country.

I believe before government officials go outside to represent their country there is always a briefing, what to do, what to say, what position to take on matters, what vote to cast, because they are not their to represent themselves or their own opinions but that of their country

She Bleep up

😂

Why not?

emkz:
I suggest she writes to the EU, US and Saudi Arabia because this is a serious issue.

It is clear that this woman does not weigh her actions carefully before taking them.

1. There was a case of Akpabio holding her hand and showing her round his house and scratching her palm with his fingers. He then proposed to her in the presence of her husband that they could be coming there for "quality time". She said she didn't tell her husband the details nor report the incidence to the ethics committee. Mistake number 1.

2. She said when she visited Akpabio in his office to complain about her motion being stood down, Akpabio said as the chief presiding officer of the senate, he'd take care of her if she took care of him. She didn't report the incidence to the ethics committee. Mistake number 2.

3. On a routine day, she was re-allocated to a seat and she started quarreling when she refused to take her seat after she was told she could not speak from where she was. She said she was being silenced and was speaking for the Nigerian women. She could have simply moved to her new seat and made her contributions from there. Mistake number 3.

4. She answered a call from Brekete where she said the new seat they sent her to would hide her from the camera and she won't catch the eye of the senate president. That was a silly thing to say. Mistake number 4.

5. She went on Arise News and made claims of sexual harassment. That was her biggest mistake. She could have first made a report to the ethics committee and leaked it to the press. By doing a media appearance, she allowed those she was fighting prepare an ambush.

6. She then formally filed a petition against Akpabio on sexual harassment. It turned out to be improperly filed according to the senate red book, Order 40, sub 4. That exposed her as being unaware of parliamentary processes. Her colleagues ripped her petition to pieces. Mistake number 6.

7. Mistake number 7 was taking Akpabio to court over an infamous facebook post by Akpabio's aide where the aide said she wore transparent clothing and walked seductively in the senate. I am no fan of Akpabio, but he is not liable for what his aide wrote. His lawyers would argue correctly that he be excluded from the case.

8. Mistake number 8 was obtaining a court order to stop her probe. That could have given her ample opportunity to give cause to her conduct which could have allowed her cite the sexual assault issues and give evidence. By citing the cases, she could have put the ethics committee in trouble because their hands would have been tied.

9. Because she allowed her colleagues see the battle she was waging before sge waged them, they could prepare their counter-attacks.

10. I think going to the inter parliamentary union undermines her case. The IPU has no supervisory powers over Nigeria's senate and can do nothing to discipline Akpabio. What she'd accomplish is rubbishing and embarrassing Akpabio and her colleagues. Many of these people are already persona non gratae which makes her action self-defeating.

What she can do now is to take time out, listen to those who genuinely care about her and find a different tactic to fight this battle. She should forget about getting justice from this senate. My recommendation would be to file a formal petition in court or code of conduct tribunal against Akpabio and fight it till the end. Akpabio can be docked.

11. An additional mistake she made was going to IPU to make a complaint against Akpabio. She said she registered as an independent based on previous attendance. She then used the slot meant for Nigeria to speak against Akpabio and embarrass Nigeria. She denied Nigeria's delegation the opportunity to speak. She admitted being there illegally, which made whatever she said there inadmissible. She could have spoken as an independent instead of a member of the Nigerian delegation for which it has emerged from her own submission that she wasn't.

She had no confidence in the senate but wants to work there. She has no confidence in the judiciary. Her approach since this case began was sentimental and sensationalism, instead of factual. This is how she mismanaged a good case and may let Akpabio off the hook.

As for those insisting on supporting her, be aware that there are rules governing everyone's conduct in an environment. You cannot use sentiments to bypass the rules. You break rules, you face the same rules. Those who support the recalcitrant senator tend to side-step her flouting basic rules: (1) refusing to take her new seat, (2) speaking from a seat that was not assigned to her, (3) yelling on the floor of the senate, (4) refusing to stand up while the senate leadership procession moved as is customary. When she was yelling about being silenced, why didn't she mention the case of sexual victimization? That became an afterthought when she went to a TV station which puts to question the motivation for bringing it up.

For all the mistakes I cited and the additional mistake of going to IPU without authorization (infact, she bypassed Nigeria and went there to use Nigeria's speaking slot), she does not possess the qualities of making laws for Nigeria. As for the senate president, he has not handled the accusations with maturity. His leadership of the senate is already tainted with repeated accusations of sexual maladjustments, flippancy, questionable return to the senate and two professors going to jail for allegedly rigging elections for him.

We can tolerate them until 2027, but they should both respect Nigerians, Nigeria, their constituencies and ethics and retire from the senate until they both have the maturity to function therein.

Finally, I have noticed the senator hardly listens to people. She has taken this fight on her own and we can see the lack of logic. We'd encourage her to be aware of her limitations and get help from people who can probably guide her without sentiments. She has blown the case and committed additional blunders which may put her political career in jeopardy.

We wish her well.