Suspended senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has urged the Nigerian public to ignore the viral report claiming that she apologised to the Senate.
Natasha in a statement on Monday titled, “Re-purported apology to the Senate over my sexual allegations claim against Senate President Godswill Akpabio”, said, “I, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, stand firm in my resolve to never apologise for speaking my truth.”
She also said her six-month suspension is a “clear case of political victimisation”, but stressed that she would not be deterred.
Natasha was suspended by the Senate for six months recently for alleged gross misconduct, days after a face-off with Akpabio over a change of sitting arrangement in the chambers during plenary.
She consequently, accused Akpabio of making sexual advances at her and later petitioned the United Nations over the issue.
The Kogi Senator in the statement said, “I will continue to fight for the rights of Nigerian women and ensure that our voices are heard.
“The desperation to silence me is palpable, but I will not be intimidated. The games being played in full view of the Nigerian people will be exposed, and the corrupt individuals who have hijacked our institutions will be held accountable.
“As a senator, I have a duty to represent my constituents and uphold the principles of justice and transparency. My allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio were not made lightly, and I will continue to seek justice and accountability, no matter the cost.
“I urge the public to ignore the viral report claiming that I apologised to the Senate, as it is entirely false. I will continue to stand by my truth and fight for what is right, even in the face of adversity.”
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that about 250,000 registered voters from Kogi Central were alleged to have signed a petition submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seeking Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s recall.
A resident who participated in submitting the petition confirmed this to newsmen in a video seen by SaharaReporters. She insisted the recall effort was driven by constituents.
She had said: “It is concerned Kogi youths and women [that submitted the petition]. Talking about bankrolling, it is a personal business. It is a personal thing. We are members of our constituency, and we don’t want her anymore.
“We are the ones that voted, and we are saying we don’t want her anymore. So, nobody is bankrolling; nobody is having any personal issues with her. It is just what it is.
“We all know the INEC rules. You cannot submit a petition without having to go and get the signatures of registered voters. That is why we are now saying as people, we are recalling her from the Senate because we have gotten what it takes to recall her back.”
She had further claimed that the required threshold for a recall had been met.
The petition was accepted on Monday by INEC Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.
On March 21, 2025, a Federal High Court in Lokoja ruled in favour of an interim injunction blocking INEC from accepting the recall petition due to allegations of falsified signatures.
The ruling was delivered by Justice Isa H. Dashen in suit number FHC/LKJ/CS/13/2025.
The court order restrained INEC from “receiving, accepting, or acting in any way whatsoever on any purported petitions submitted to the defendant by any person or persons whatsoever, containing fictitious signatures and names of purported members of Kogi Central Senatorial District and conducting any referendum whatsoever upon such petition for the purpose of initiating a recall process.”
The case is scheduled for a hearing on May 6, 2025.
