Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Fellow Kogi Senator Sunday Karimi Engage in War of Words Over Her Suspension as She Calls for Drug Tests on Lawmakers, Accuses Senate Leadership of Victimization, and Takes Case to UN
The political feud between suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, and Kogi West Senator, Sunday Karimi, escalated on Sunday as both lawmakers exchanged heated words over her recent suspension from the Senate.
Karimi, a lawmaker from the All Progressives Congress (APC), defended Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension, calling the incident that led to it an embarrassment to the Senate and Kogi State. He claimed that her behavior had validated the concerns of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, who had earlier warned that she was unpredictable.
In a statement to journalists, Karimi expressed disappointment, recalling how he attempted to mediate and prevent the situation from deteriorating but was allegedly ignored. He accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of bringing disgrace to the state by allowing her confrontation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio to escalate to the point of suspension.
“All our advice to her fell on deaf ears,” Karimi stated. “One can therefore not come to terms with the fact that Yahaya Bello saw this coming. Senator Natasha has not only tarnished the image of Kogi State but has also thrown the state into a mess in the eyes of the entire country.”
Natasha Hits Back, Calls for Drug Tests on Senators
Responding swiftly, Akpoti-Uduaghan dismissed Karimi’s remarks and called for periodic drug tests for senators, arguing that such measures would prevent irrational decision-making in the legislature.
“The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) needs to conduct periodic tests on senators. That singular process will save the parliament from erratic legislative hallucinations,” she said in a statement issued through her media aide, Israel Arogbonlo.
She further pointed out that the NDLEA Chairman, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa, had previously advocated for mandatory drug tests for political aspirants, arguing that extending this practice to lawmakers would strengthen the integrity of the legislative process.
Citing a similar initiative by the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission, which conducted drug tests for local government election candidates, Akpoti-Uduaghan insisted that senators should also be subjected to the same scrutiny to ensure responsible governance.
Suspension and International Appeal
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended on March 6 for six months following a confrontation with Senate leadership over a new seating arrangement, which she claimed was designed to undermine her.
The controversy took a new turn when she raised the issue at the United Nations’ International Parliamentary Union, alleging political victimization by the Senate leadership. She accused Akpabio of retaliating against her for rejecting alleged sexual advances, further intensifying the dispute.
During her address at the Women in Parliament session in New York, she called for international intervention to hold the Nigerian Senate accountable. She also condemned the harsh conditions imposed on her, including the withdrawal of her security, salary cuts, and restrictions from accessing the National Assembly during her suspension.
As the political drama unfolds, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s call for drug tests in the Senate has added a new dimension to the controversy, raising fresh debates over accountability and integrity within Nigeria’s legislative arm.
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