The Federal Government has launched an investigation into how suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central attended the recent Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in New York without an official nomination from Nigeria.
According to Premium Times, sources within President Bola Tinubu’s administration confirmed that the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) were conducting the probe.
The investigation aims to uncover how Akpoti-Uduaghan gained accreditation, whether her attendance was orchestrated to embarrass the Nigerian government, and if she violated IPU or National Assembly protocols.
The IPU, a global parliamentary body, strictly regulates member participation, allowing only officially nominated delegates to attend and speak on behalf of their countries. Nigeria’s delegation typically includes selected Senators, House of Representatives members, and parliamentary officials. Observers require explicit approval from both the IPU and their home country’s delegation.
However, Nigerian authorities argue that Akpoti-Uduaghan bypassed these protocols before attending the March 11 meeting. At the event, she spoke about her recent Senate suspension, calling it politically motivated and a tactic to silence her for exposing misconduct. She also accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment.
In response, IPU President Tulia Ackson assured that the parliamentary body would investigate while allowing the Nigerian Senate to present its position.
Hon. Kafilat Ogbara, a member of Nigeria’s official delegation, refuted Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims. Speaking at the UN Secretariat a day later, she read a letter from Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, which stated that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension resulted from violations of Senate Standing Rules, not her allegations against Akpabio.
Bamidele also questioned her legitimacy at the meeting.
“Outside of Nigeria, or outside of this Senate, when it comes to our inter-parliamentary engagements, every one of those organisations… is run on the basis of rules and regulations,” he said.
He emphasized that IPU membership is based on national parliaments, not individuals, and only designated delegates can officially attend.
“If… one of our colleagues, who was not even supposed to be there, found her way to the place, sat on the seat meant for Nigeria, and spoke for herself rather than for Nigeria, that’s another issue altogether,” Bamidele added.
Similarly, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, chairman of the Senate Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Activities, confirmed that Akpoti-Uduaghan had no official authorization to represent Nigeria.
“Her attendance was not approved by the Nigerian Senate or its Inter-Parliamentary Committee,” he said in a Friday statement.
The DSS and NIA launched their probe after Senate complaints about her participation. Investigators are focusing on whether she obtained unauthorized credentials, had external facilitators, or misrepresented Nigeria’s position at the IPU. The findings will also determine if individuals or organizations aided her access without government approval or violated any IPU or Nigerian parliamentary regulations.
