Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interparliamentary Affairs, has dismissed the petition filed by suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against Senate President Godswill Akpabio at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), declaring it invalid.
In a statement on Thursday, Ibrahim (APC, Ondo South) explained that the IPU cannot entertain the petition because Nigeria, not Akpoti-Uduaghan as an individual, is a recognized member of the global parliamentary body.
“A petition can only be lodged against another member state by a member state,” Ibrahim stated. “This means the IPU does not accept petitions from individuals who are not recognized members. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, as a suspended senator, does not represent Nigeria at the IPU and cannot act on its behalf.”
He further reinforced his stance by citing his experience as the interim president of the IPU in Geneva in 2023, stating that he is well-versed in the union’s operational procedures.
“As Chairman of the Interparliamentary Committee in the Nigerian Senate, I did not approve or authorize Senator Natasha to attend the IPU on behalf of Nigeria or the Senate President,” he added.
This development comes amid heightened political tensions within the Senate, following Akpoti-Uduaghan’s recent suspension.
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