Chairman of the Senate Committee on Inter-Parliamentary Affairs, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, has clarified why the petition purportedly filed by suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan at the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) is considered “dead on arrival.”
In a statement issued from Abuja, Senator Ibrahim explained that Nigeria, not individual senators, is the official member of the IPU, and as such, a petition can only be lodged by a member state, not an individual.
He pointed out that the IPU does not entertain petitions from non-members, and since Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is not a member of the IPU, her petition cannot be considered.
He further emphasized that the suspended Senator cannot represent Nigeria at the IPU.
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“I served as the interim president of the IPU in Geneva in 2023, and I am well-versed in the operational procedures of the IPU,” Ibrahim stated, underscoring his familiarity with the institution’s processes.
As the Chairman of the Inter-Parliamentary Committee in the Nigerian Senate, Ibrahim also made it clear that he did not authorize or approve Senator Natasha’s attendance at the IPU on behalf of Nigeria.
He stated that any representation of Nigeria at the IPU must be approved by the Senate President, which was not the case with Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
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