Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the Nigerian Senate, has publicly stated that she did not see or review the committee report that recommended the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central.
In an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Wednesday, Senator Kingibe addressed ongoing controversies surrounding the suspension, explaining her limited involvement in the process. She noted that while she is a member of the relevant Senate committee, she was attending a tax reform retreat which she prioritized for its direct impact on her constituents when the report was finalized and considered.
“I never saw the report that led to Natasha’s suspension. I was at a retreat,” Senator Kingibe said. “I had earlier stated that I was there with three or four other senators who are members of the committee. 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 much more important at the time.”
Her statement comes amid broader discussions in the Senate regarding the handling of the Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions Committee report, which led to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension in 2025. Senator Kingibe emphasized that she has not seen the full report to date.
Senator Kingibe’s remarks add nuance to recent claims by other senators about the committee process and underscore questions about procedural transparency in the upper chamber.