ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Senator Adams Oshiomhole has alleged that the signatures of at least three lawmakers were either forged or improperly included in the report that recommended the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti‑Uduaghan, intensifying controversy around one of the 10th Senate’s most disputed disciplinary actions.
Speaking in a televised interview, the former Edo State governor claimed that several senators privately told him they did not sign the Ethics Committee report that led to Akpoti‑Uduaghan’s six‑month suspension. He cited Senator Ireti Kingibe of the Federal Capital Territory as one of those whose name appeared despite her insistence she never endorsed the document.
Oshiomhole argued that attaching names without consent violated parliamentary procedure, stressing that committee members are expected to sign reports only when they agree with their contents. “One, two or three senators said, ‘We didn’t sign, but our names were there,’” he said, adding that the matter should be taken seriously given Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele’s own criticism of the suspension.
Akpoti‑Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, was suspended in March 2025 after being found guilty of alleged gross misconduct. The Senate withdrew her salary and allowances, closed her office, and barred her from legislative premises. The decision followed a bitter dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio, though the chamber maintained the action was based solely on her conduct during plenary.
Bamidele recently described the suspension as one of the lowest moments of the current Senate, reigniting debate about the integrity of the committee process. Oshiomhole’s claims of forged signatures are expected to intensify calls for transparency and accountability in legislative proceedings.
As of Tuesday, neither the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions nor the Senate leadership had responded to the allegations. Efforts to reach Akpabio’s media aide were unsuccessful. The controversy underscores broader concerns about governance and institutional credibility in Nigeria, where parliamentary discipline is closely watched by citizens and international observers alike.
