The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has assured Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan that it will take necessary steps to address the complaints she brought to the union.
However, the union said that it will listen to the other side to get a balanced view after the suspended lawmaker informed it of her case against the Senate and its President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Senator Natasha on Tuesday took her case to the union at its Women in Parliament session held at the United Nations in New York, seeking justice and the intervention of global democratic institutions.
The Senate suspended the lawmaker for violation of the Senate’s rules days after she submitted a petition against Akpabio for sexual assault and other accusations, claims the Senate President has strongly refuted.
The lawmaker is asking for justice over what she described as injustice meted out to her. Senator Natasha described her suspension from the Senate as illegal.
READ ALSO: Senator Natasha Reports Her Suspension, Case Against Akpabio To UN Inter-Parliamentary Union
“I was suspended illegally because I submitted a petition for sexual harassment against the President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio. I thought that by submitting the petition, he would recuse himself and both of us would submit ourselves to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petition for a fair, transparent investigation. But unfortunately, I was silenced, and I was suspended,” she told the gathering.
“That means I’m here illegally, but I have no other place to go but to come here and speak to you because this is a bigger picture. This is a bigger picture. It depicts the crisis of women’s political representation. My suspension is not just about me. It’s about the systemic exclusion of women from political leadership in Nigeria,” the Kogi lawmaker added.
After listening to the report, the IPU President, Tulia Ackson, said necessary steps would be taken concerning Natasha’s predicament, but not before listening to the other side.
“I would like to say we have heard her (Natasha’s) concerns and having heard her; it would have been an opportunity for all of us to understand more what she has said, but because we listened only to her side,” Tulia said.
“As an institution we will be taking the concerns that have been raised, not only taking her side but also giving a chance to listen to the other side as it is a custom to ITU. And after having listened to the other side, we will take steps necessary.”
She said it was necessary to say a word about Natasha’s complaints after the meeting and then be able to take it further.
