Embattled Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has revealed how she successfully attended the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) meeting in New York despite not being officially nominated by the Nigerian government.
Akpoti-Uduaghan explained that she registered for the meeting online as a senator and secured her accreditation because she was already on IPU’s mailing list as a past attendee.
She also confirmed that she personally funded her trip after obtaining approval to attend the global parliamentary gathering.
“I registered online as a senator. The suspension does not remove my legitimacy as a senator. I registered online and got a pass.
“I attended the same programme last year and was already on the mailing list. After I got a pass, I bought my own ticket and funded my trip and participation at the event,” she told Premium Times.
Clarifying her mode of access to the recent IPU meeting, Akpoti-Uduaghan explained that her past participation in a meeting organised by the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) played a role in her accreditation.
She stated that IPU events are not exclusive to government officials but are also open to individuals and civil society organisations.
The senator, who is currently serving a six-month suspension from the Nigerian Senate, described her suspension as illegal, arguing that it did not strip her of her legitimacy as an elected senator.
Akpoti-Uduaghan maintained that she attended the IPU meeting in her official capacity and spoke as a legitimate representative of her constituents.
