How I got into IPU meeting – Natasha

The suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central has revealed how she successfully gained access to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in New York despite not being officially nominated by the Nigerian government.

Speaking on the matter, the embattled senator explained that she registered online, leveraging her previous engagements with the IPU, which kept her on the organization’s mailing list. With this access, she secured accreditation, personally funded her trip, and attended the prestigious gathering alongside other parliamentarians from around the world.

However, her participation has not gone unnoticed by the Nigerian government. Reports indicate that the State Security Service (SSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) have launched investigations into how she gained entry into the meeting without official nomination. Sources suggest that authorities are probing whether her attendance was an attempt to embarrass the country on the international stage.

At the IPU meeting, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan took the opportunity to address her recent six-month suspension from the Nigerian Senate. She described the action as illegal and politically motivated, attributing it to her petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio over alleged sexual harassment. She further accused the Senate leadership of attempting to silence her for speaking out against misconduct in the legislative chamber.

Her suspension has since ignited outrage across Nigeria, particularly among women’s rights groups. A growing movement under the slogan “We Are All Natasha” has emerged, condemning what activists describe as gender discrimination in Nigerian politics. Protests have erupted in major cities, with demonstrators demanding justice and accountability from the Senate leadership.

Meanwhile, international observers are closely monitoring the situation, with the IPU expected to weigh in on the issue of parliamentary rights and the treatment of female legislators in Nigeria.

For now, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan remains undeterred, maintaining that her actions were in pursuit of justice, democracy, and the right to represent her constituents on the global stage.