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The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has promised to investigate the suspension of Nigerian Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
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Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that her suspension was politically motivated.
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The IPU will hear both sides before making a decision, according to its President, Tulia Ackson.
The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has assured Nigerian Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan that it will investigate her suspension from the Senate.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had appealed to the IPU and the United Nations for intervention, claiming that her suspension was unjust and politically motivated.
Speaking at the Women in Parliament session during the IPU meeting, Akpoti-Uduaghan recounted her ordeal, stating that her suspension stemmed from a petition she submitted against Senate President Godswill Akpabio over allegations of sexual harassment.
“I believed that submitting the petition would lead to a fair and transparent investigation, but instead, I was silenced and suspended,” she lamented.
The sanctions imposed on her were severe, including the withdrawal of security, seizure of official vehicles, stoppage of salary, and a restriction barring her from the National Assembly premises.
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“For six months, I am not allowed to present myself as a senator, either locally or internationally,” she stated.
In response, IPU President Tulia Ackson acknowledged the gravity of the issue and assured that the IPU would follow due process by hearing both sides before taking a position.
“We have heard her concerns, and as an institution, we will be taking the necessary steps. However, it is important that we also listen to the other side before making any decisions, as is our custom at the IPU,” Ackson stated.
READ ALSO: Natasha Drags Akpabio to IPU over Sexual Harassment Allegations
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central in the National Assembly, has dragged Senate President Godswill Akpabio to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) over allegations of sexual harassment and her six-month suspension.
In an emotional speech at the Women in Parliament session at the United Nations in New York, Natasha sought justice and called for the intervention of global democratic institutions.
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