Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, has been removed from Nigeria’s delegation to the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) currently taking place in New York City, United States.
The event began on March 9 at the United Nations headquarters and is scheduled to run until March 19. It focuses on promoting gender equality and improving access to justice for women and girls across member states.
Despite the conference’s focus on women’s issues, Akpoti-Uduaghan was dropped from the delegation and replaced by Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire.
Earlier, during a meeting of the Senate Committee on Appropriations on February 25, Akpoti-Uduaghan expressed concern that she had been sidelined after initially being invited by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs to participate in the event.
According to Premium Times, the ministry had requested a copy of the photo page of her international passport, which she submitted within hours. However, she was later informed that she would not be attending because her details were allegedly submitted late.
The Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women Affairs, Senator Ireti Kingibe, had earlier denied that the Kogi lawmaker was removed from the delegation.
Kingibe explained that she recommended Akpoti-Uduaghan for the trip after two other female senators — Idiat Adebule and Ipalibo Banigo — declined the invitation.
She said she had assured Akpoti-Uduaghan that she would be part of the delegation and even stated that if the Kogi senator did not attend, she would also stay back.
However, in a letter dated March 5 addressed to Akpoti-Uduaghan, Kingibe explained that the Ministry of Women Affairs had not yet responded to the request to sponsor members of the delegation.
She added that the Senate eventually approved only two members for the trip — herself and Senator Adegbonmire.
“For clarity, I can confirm that at this stage only two members of the Senate have been officially nominated by the Senate President and have completed registration: myself, as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women Affairs, and Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire Ayodele, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters,” the letter stated.
Kingibe also apologised for any inconvenience caused and advised Akpoti-Uduaghan to attend the event personally if she already had a valid United States visa.
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