Natasha Vs Akpabio: Ireti Kingibe Slams Natasha Akpoti

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Friday, February 28th, 2025

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Ireti Kingibe, the senator representing the federal capital territory (FCT), has stated that Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Kogi central lawmaker, has received more privileges than her other female colleagues in the national assembly.

Kingibe stated this on Friday during an interview on Arise News
Nwa Diokpa.

It is worth recalling that a few weeks ago, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan were in a heated debate while plenary was on because of a change in seating arrangements.

Akpoti-Uduaghan later claimed that her trouble in the senate started after she rejected sexual advances from Akpabio.

Speaking on Friday, Kingibe slammed Akpoti-Uduaghan for not adhering to senate rules, saying that she was not the only lawmaker whose seat was moved.

“Silence is golden, especially when one of us is not following the rules. And as women, we did not want to come out publicly to say anything negative about her; and we were hoping all of this will blow over, as a lot of things do,” Kingibe said.

“The senate is not a place where we are supposed to fight over trivialities like seating arrangements.

“This is about the rules of the senate. So if I can point out that other women have been moved several times on that day, I wasn’t there, but I gathered that several men were also moved.”

Kingibe also stated that despite the fact that the senate is “not gender friendly”, it has been improving.

“And the truth of the matter is, when we make a fuss and draw the attention of the Senate president, he corrects it,” she said.

“Truly, the senate can do better than it’s doing, but there’s hardly anything that’s been done to us that’s not done to other men.

“The truth is, Senator Natasha has gotten the most privileges among all four of us (female senators). The seat I sit on now has been moved four times.

“I want women to know we have to follow the rules of the institution we choose to enter, and that is mostly the point of this visit here.”

On the allegations of sexual harrasment, Kingibe stated that she is not so close to Akpabio to discuss sexual harassment.

“I collected some documents for Senator Natasha, informed her and went to her house. She told me that she was supposed to discuss something with Akpabio but he said to meet him at a hotel,” Kingibe added.