Probing Senator Natasha’s IPU attendance will embarrass Nigeria—Falana

A prominent legal figure, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana, has cautioned security agencies against probing how suspended Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan managed to attend the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in New York.

In a statement released on Sunday, Falana warned that any such investigation would only serve to expose Nigeria to “needless embarrassment and undeserved ridicule,” especially given the already contentious circumstances surrounding the senator’s suspension from the National Assembly for “gross misconduct.”

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan attended the IPU meeting on March 11, where she used the international stage to publicly criticize her suspension.

 In her remarks, she contended that her removal from the Senate was a deliberate attempt to silence her after she raised sexual harassment allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Her comments sparked a strong backlash domestically. In a fiery response on the Senate floor last Tuesday, Akpabio accused the suspended senator of “embarrassing the government and people of Nigeria” by taking what he termed an internal matter to an international forum.

READ ALSO: DSS, NIA probe Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s unauthorized attendance at IPU

Recent reports suggested that Nigeria’s security agencies, including the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), had initiated an investigation into how Akpoti-Uduaghan attended the IPU meeting without an official nomination. Falana, however, condemned these moves.

“Contrary to the jaundiced views of the Senate leadership, it is the official probe of the circumstances of her trip by security forces that will expose Nigeria to needless embarrassment and undeserved ridicule,” Falana stated, warning that such an inquiry would be counterproductive.

Drawing parallels to Nigeria’s troubled past, Falana urged the security agencies to recall previous actions during the military regime of General Sani Abacha.

“The SSS and NIA may study the report of the investigation of our illegal traveling by the Sani Abacha military junta before embarking on the futile attempt to probe Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for having the temerity to externalize the ‘internal affair’ of the Senate,” he added.

Falana highlighted the irony of high-ranking government officials leading the investigation, pointing out that some had themselves traveled abroad in the past to challenge Nigeria’s military regimes.

His comments underscore the complexities of Nigeria’s political landscape, where internal disputes often spill over into international arenas, amplifying national embarrassment.

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As the debate continues, critics argue that a security probe into the senator’s international travel could distract from addressing deeper issues within Nigeria’s political and legislative processes.

Meanwhile, calls for a more transparent and judicious approach to resolving such controversies have grown louder, reflecting widespread concern over the politicization of security investigations.

With Nigeria’s reputation at stake, Falana’s remarks serve as a stark reminder of the delicate balance between national security, political accountability, and the potential for unnecessary public shaming on the global stage.