The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has assured Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from Nigeria that it understands her situation.
The IPU spoke in reaction to the lawmaker’s six-month suspension and the trashing of her sexual harassment petition by the Nigerian senate.
Following her suspension, Akpoti-Uduaghan took the matter to the IPU during the Women in Parliament session at the United Nations in New York, seeking justice for what she described as unlawful suspension and victimization by Nigeria’s Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
In an emotional address, she appealed to global democratic institutions for intervention, calling her suspension an unjust act.
In response, Tulia Ackson, the President of the IPU, acknowledged the senator’s concerns but emphasized that the IPU must also hear the other side of the story before taking any further action.
Ackson outlined that the IPU’s standard procedure is to listen to both parties involved in any complaint before proceeding.
She said: “There was a matter that arose during the first session which we had this morning. The matter that was raised by our colleague from Nigeria, Senator Natasha, and because all of us heard what she said and it only serves us better if I put a word in what she has said.
“So I would like to say we have heard our her concerns, and having heard her, it would have been an opportunity for all of us to understand more about what she has said, but because we listened only on her side, as an institution as IPU, 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 for IPU. And after having listened to the other side, we will take steps as necessary.
“I thought it was necessary for us to say a word about it and then be able to take it further. So we have taken care, or we have taken the concerns that she raised, and we will be working on them, of course, having listened to the other side, and we will be able to take steps after that.
“I also recognize the fact that our Nigerian delegate, who is here had requested the floor honorable cavid, but because of time, she wasn’t given a chance to speak.
“But like I said, we have heard the concerns that have been raised by Senator Natasha, but at the same time, we have taken cognizance of the fact that you would have wished to address us, but time wasn’t enough to give us to give you a chance to do that.
“And that said, IPU will be taking this matter as we usually do when such such concerns are raised in meetings like this.”
Ackson also mentioned that time constraints prevented another Nigerian delegate from speaking at the session, but affirmed that the concerns raised by Akpoti-Uduaghan would still be thoroughly considered.
This development marks an ongoing process by the IPU to address the senator’s claims and uphold democratic processes.
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