Kingibe Denies Knowledge of Akpoti Suspension Report

The Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe, has stated that she never saw the committee report that formed the basis for the suspension of Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Speaking during a television interview on Wednesday, Kingibe explained that she was attending a concurrent legislative retreat on tax reforms when the disciplinary report was being finalized and considered, leaving her with no opportunity to review its contents.

Kingibe clarified that while she initially attended the session of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions and signed the attendance register, she subsequently exited to join the tax reform retreat. She noted that the economic policies being discussed there were more critical to the immediate welfare of her constituents than internal disciplinary matters, which she assumed other committee members would handle.

“I never saw the report that led to Natasha’s suspension,” Kingibe said. “I even complained to other senators, specifically to Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe. I complained to him very bitterly that I had not seen that report. I didn’t see it then. I have not seen it till now.”

The suspension of Akpoti-Uduaghan has sparked intense public debate and legal questions regarding Senate disciplinary protocols and constitutional representation. Kingibe’s disclosures introduce fresh scrutiny into the upper chamber’s internal processes, hinting that some lawmakers linked to the recommending committee were bypassed in the compilation of the final report.

The development follows recent heavy allegations made on Monday by Edo North Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, who claimed that the signatures of at least three committee members were either forged or improperly appended to the document recommending the six-month suspension. The growing controversy coincides with statements from Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who characterized the handling of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension as a low point for the 10th Senate.