By John Umeh
Nigeria’s Senate has removed Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from the country’s official delegation to a major United Nations gathering focused on women’s rights, replacing her with a male lawmaker.
The development concerns Nigeria’s participation in the 70th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, currently taking place at the United Nations headquarters in New York City. The event, which began on March 9, runs until March 19 and is dedicated to advancing gender equality and improving access to justice for women and girls worldwide.
Male Senator Named as Replacement
Instead of Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Senate approved Adeniyi Adegbonmire as part of the delegation.
The decision has raised questions in some quarters, particularly because the conference focuses on women’s empowerment and gender-related policies.
Earlier Complaints by Akpoti-Uduaghan
Before the final decision was announced, the Kogi Central senator had expressed concerns that she was being sidelined despite initially being invited to participate.
She said the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs had earlier requested the data page of her international passport, which she promptly submitted. However, she later received a message stating that her details were provided too late and she would no longer be part of the delegation.
Senate Committee Chair Responds
The Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women Affairs, Ireti Kingibe, had earlier dismissed claims that Akpoti-Uduaghan was deliberately excluded.
According to Kingibe, the Kogi senator was nominated only after two other female lawmakers—Idiat Adebule and Ipalibo Banigo—declined the invitation.
She said she had recommended Akpoti-Uduaghan for the trip and even assured her she would be included in the delegation.
Final Decision Explained
In a letter dated March 5, Kingibe later clarified that the Ministry of Women Affairs had not responded to requests to fund additional participants.
As a result, the Senate leadership eventually approved only two members for the event: Kingibe herself and Senator Adegbonmire.
She explained that both lawmakers were officially nominated by the Senate President and had completed their registration for the conference.
Advice to the Kogi Senator
Kingibe also expressed regret over the situation and suggested that Akpoti-Uduaghan could still attend the conference independently if she already possessed a valid United States visa.
The situation has sparked debate among political observers, particularly given the irony that a conference dedicated to women’s advancement ended up excluding one of the female lawmakers initially proposed to represent Nigeria.
