senator Jimoh Ibrahim

Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Inter-Parliamentary Union, has explained why the purported petition from suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is “dead on arrival” at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

In a statement issued in Abuja, Ibrahim emphasised that Nigeria, not Senator Natasha, is the actual member of the IPU. He stated:

“A petition can only be lodged against another member state by a member state.

“This implies that the IPU cannot consider petitions from individuals who are not members.”

He further clarified:

“The suspended Senator Natasha is not a member of the IPU, but Nigeria is!

“Additionally, the suspended senator cannot represent the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Furthermore, as Chairman of the Inter-Parliamentary Committee in the Nigerian Senate, I did not approve or authorise the suspended Senator Natasha to attend the IPU on behalf of Nigeria to the Senate President.

“I served as the interim president of the IPU in Geneva in 2023, and I am familiar with how the IPU operates after presiding over its proceedings.” {The Nation}