The controversy surrounding Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension as a senator has taken a dramatic turn, with Adams Oshiomhole alleging that the names of several lawmakers were included in the committee report that recommended her six-month suspension without their consent.
The claim, which raises questions about the credibility of the Senate’s disciplinary process, has sparked fresh concerns over transparency and due process within the National Assembly, months after the suspension triggered nationwide debate.
Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North Senatorial District, made the allegation while reacting to comments by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who recently described Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension as one of the lowest moments of the 10th Senate.
Speaking during an interview on African Independent Television (AIT), the former Edo State governor claimed that at least three senators whose names appeared on the report neither signed the document nor endorsed its recommendations.
According to him, the development raises serious questions about the integrity of the process that culminated in the suspension of the Kogi Central senator.
“The committee does a hearing, and members are expected to sign the report to indicate their endorsement. If they disagree, they can abstain,” Oshiomhole said.
“But some senators told me they did not sign the report, yet their names appeared on it.”
He specifically cited Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as one of those who allegedly expressed surprise at finding her name attached to the report.
“People like Senator Ireti Kingibe told me, ‘But I didn’t sign that report, yet my name was published,’” he said.
Oshiomhole suggested that an attendance register may have been attached to the report and presented as evidence of endorsement by committee members, a practice he described as improper.
“Where members do not agree with the content of a report, they have the option of abstaining from signing because a signature amounts to endorsement,” he said.
“One, two or three senators said, ‘We didn’t sign, but our names were there.’ Some people say maybe an attendance register was attached, but that is not the proper procedure.”
He added that Bamidele’s remarks should not be ignored, insisting that concerns about the report deserve closer scrutiny.
“If Opeyemi said so, I think Nigerians should take it seriously,” Oshiomhole stated.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended by the Senate in March 2025 following allegations of gross misconduct and unruly behaviour. The disciplinary action came amid her persistent accusations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, a dispute that generated intense political debate within and outside the National Assembly.
The suspension barred her from accessing the National Assembly complex, halted her salaries and allowances, and led to the sealing of her office.
Oshiomhole’s latest allegations are expected to reignite public debate over the suspension and intensify calls for greater transparency in Senate disciplinary proceedings, as questions emerge over whether proper procedures were followed in reaching one of the most controversial decisions of the 10th Senate.
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