Senate President Godswill Akpabio has requested Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to issue an apology to the Senate in hopes of potentially reconsidering her six-month suspension.
During a plenary session on Thursday, Akpabio emphasized the Senate’s willingness to reconcile but cautioned that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s actions could dissuade political leaders from appointing women to prominent positions in the future.
He critiqued her public statements on the matter and expressed disappointment over her appeals to international bodies, suggesting that the issue should have been resolved within the Senate or through legal channels.
Akpabio affirmed the Senate’s commitment to empowering women in leadership roles.
He pointed out that all four female senators in the 10th Assembly currently serve as committee chairpersons, which he described as a deliberate effort to ensure women’s representation in the legislature.
He further stated that the Senate operates under the laws of Nigeria and has internal mechanisms to address disputes among lawmakers.
Akpabio urged Akpoti-Uduaghan to reconsider her approach and take advantage of the opportunity to resolve the issue within the Senate.
“We are still open to making sure that we remain in peace. We left room for her to recognise that what she is doing may even frighten a lot of men in future from even appointing or selecting female deputy governors.
“You can imagine if somebody like Kamala, the immediate past vice president of the United States, were to go on CNN to say that President Joe Biden sexually assaulted her by shaking her hand or by holding her hand to show her the office of the president. That automatically means that nobody will pick another woman as vice president.
“But I have four daughters, so I want to plead with politicians to still give my four children a chance. Do not take the action of one person and punish others,” he said.
