I never endorsed Sen. Natasha suspension report, says Senator Ireti Kingibe

Senator Ireti Kingibe has distanced herself from the Senate committee report that recommended disciplinary action against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, saying she neither reviewed nor endorsed the document before it was submitted.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television, the FCT lawmaker explained that although she attended a meeting of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, she left shortly afterwards to participate in a retreat on tax reforms, which she considered more important to her constituents.

According to Kingibe, she was surprised to later discover that a photocopy of her signature appeared on the committee report despite not having seen the final document.

“I couldn’t have endorsed the committee report because I didn’t see it,” she stated.

The senator disclosed that she subsequently raised the issue with senior Senate officials, including the Deputy Senate President, stressing that lawmakers should have adequate opportunity to examine committee reports before appending their signatures.

While clarifying that she was not accusing anyone of forgery, Kingibe criticised what she described as a culture where reports are sometimes signed without proper scrutiny, warning that such practices undermine transparency and accountability within the legislature.

On the controversy surrounding Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension, Kingibe argued that the matter could have been handled differently, noting that similar disputes in the past were often resolved through apologies and reconciliation rather than prolonged disciplinary measures.

She maintained that the issue lingered longer than necessary and suggested that an apology might have brought the matter to an earlier conclusion.

Beyond the Natasha controversy, Kingibe also expressed concerns about the performance of the National Assembly, arguing that the legislature has increasingly functioned as a “cooperating arm” of the Executive instead of serving as an effective check on executive power.

“I don’t think the Senate is performing its constitutional role effectively as a check on executive power,” she said.

According to her, many actions often attributed solely to the Executive receive legislative backing, making lawmakers equally responsible for decisions affecting governance and accountability.

Her comments add to ongoing debates about the independence of the National Assembly and its relationship with the Executive under the current administration.