Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe, has stated that she never saw the committee report that led to the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, raising fresh questions over the process that produced the Senate decision.

Kingibe made the clarification during a television interview on Wednesday, explaining that although she attended a meeting of the Senate Committee on Petitions and Public Complaints and signed the attendance register, she did not participate in the final review of the report that recommended Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension.

She said she had left the committee session to attend a tax reform retreat and was not present when the report was concluded or submitted for consideration. According to her, she was therefore unaware of the contents of the document and did not endorse it.

Her comments have added a new dimension to the ongoing controversy surrounding the suspension of the Kogi Central senator, which was approved in March 2025 following recommendations from the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.

The suspension, which included the withdrawal of salaries, allowances, and access to the National Assembly complex, was imposed over allegations of misconduct during plenary proceedings.

The matter has continued to generate political debate, particularly after Senator Adams Oshiomhole alleged that some lawmakers whose names appeared on the committee report neither signed nor approved it. has been specifically mentioned in those claims, which she has now effectively clarified.

Reacting to the controversy, the Senate had previously dismissed allegations of forgery and insisted that all procedures leading to the suspension were properly followed.

The latest development is expected to intensify calls for greater transparency in Senate committee processes and renewed scrutiny of how disciplinary reports are prepared and adopted within the National Assembly.

As of press time, neither the Senate leadership nor Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has issued a fresh official response to Kingibe’s latest remarks.