Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe, has said she was not given access to the committee report that led to the suspension of Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Kingibe made the clarification on Wednesday during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time, where she explained that she was away at a tax reform retreat when the report was considered.
“I never saw the report that led to Natasha’s suspension. I was at a retreat,” she said, adding that she had earlier attended a session of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions before leaving for the engagement.
According to her, she signed the attendance register at the committee meeting but left afterward for the retreat, which she described as more important to her constituents.
“We attended the Committee on Petitions and Public Complaints, signed the attendance register, and I later left for the tax reform retreat, which I considered more important at the time,” she said.
Kingibe added that she was unaware of the content of the report and had also raised concerns with fellow lawmakers about not having access to it.
“I even complained to Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe that I had not seen the report. I didn’t see it then and I have not seen it till now,” she said.
The suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has continued to generate public debate, with questions raised over the fairness of the process and whether due procedure was followed in arriving at the Senate’s decision.
The controversy was further deepened after Senator Adams Oshiomhole alleged that signatures of some lawmakers were either forged or improperly included in the report recommending her six-month suspension.
Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, had earlier described the suspension as one of the most controversial moments of the 10th Senate.
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