I didn't sign report recommending Akpoti-Uduaghan's suspension

The senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, Ireti Kingibe, has said she did not endorse the report recommending the suspension of Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, and was surprised to find her name and signature on the document.

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Mrs Kingibe, a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said that on the day the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions, which she belongs to, adopted the recommendation, she and about four other committee members were attending a retreat on the Tax Reform Bills.

She disclosed this during an interview on Arise News Prime Time on Tuesday, following comments by Edo North Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, during an appearance on AIT’s Politics Today.

Mr Oshiomhole had said some senators complained that they did not endorse the recommendation for Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension.

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However, Mr Oshiomhole later denied saying senators’ signatures were forged, despite stating during the interview that some lawmakers had complained that their names appeared on the report even though they had not endorsed it. He specifically mentioned Mrs Kingibe among those who raised concerns.

During the Arise News interview, Mrs Kingibe confirmed that she complained to Mr Oshiomhole at the time that she did not endorse the report of the committee, but only signed its attendance register.

“I did tell everybody that I was not there. We were together at the retreat, and I did complain publicly. I wasn’t there. I was at the retreat with him (Oshiomhole). He (Oshiomhole) came to meet me there and when I heard about the report, I said, ‘But we were here’.

“Myself and three or four other senators that were on that committee, we went to the Committee on Public Petitions and Complaints and we signed attendance and I left to go to the Tax Reform Retreat because that, I thought, was much more important. It affects my constituents much more than disciplining a senator and I figured that the other people who were not part of that committee would take care of it,’ she said.

Despite confirming that she did not sign the report, Mrs Kingibe said she was not accusing anyone of forging her signature.

“I even complained to other senators, specifically, Senator Abaribe. I complained to him very bitterly that I have not seen that report, I didn’t see it then and I haven’t seen it till now. But I did not say anybody forged my signature. I couldn’t have endorsed the committee report; I didn’t see it,” she said.

Backstory

Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate in March 2025 for six months after the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions found her guilty of defying the Senate’s seating arrangement and engaging in alleged misconduct during plenary on 20 February 2025.

Before the committee recommended her suspension, the Kogi senator had accused the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, of sexually harassing her despite his friendship with her husband.

The suspension generated controversy afterwards, with many calling for the removal of Mr Akpabio at the time.

Last Monday, the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, acknowledged that the whole issue distracted the Senate at the time.

Akpoti-Uduaghan could have apologised

Mrs Kingibe also said the events that led to Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension could have been avoided if she had apologised during plenary and continued with her legislative duties.

She referenced instances where senators had apologised after breaching Senate rules and subsequently resumed their duties without further sanctions.

“I have apologised after throwing a tantrum. Senator Ndume does it all the time, and we don’t get suspended because immediately we are done, we realise that we have contravened the laws and rules of that particular place that we chose to be part of. And we do the necessary thing by apologising and it’s over. It took as long as it did because it was absolutely unnecessary. Senator Natasha could have apologised,” the lawmaker said.