The Nigerian Senate has removed Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, from the country’s delegation to the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) in New York and replaced her with a male senator.
The global meeting, taking place from March 9 to March 19 at the United Nations headquarters, focuses on advancing gender equality and improving access to justice for women and girls across member states.
Countries participating in the conference are expected to send delegations to contribute to discussions and negotiations that will shape global policies on women’s rights.
However, Nigeria’s delegation has drawn scrutiny after Akpoti-Uduaghan—one of the few female senators in the National Assembly—was excluded from the final list and replaced by a male lawmaker.
The issue first surfaced during a Senate Committee on Appropriations meeting on February 25, when the Kogi Central senator said she had been removed from the delegation despite submitting all required documentation.
According to Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs had initially invited her to join Nigeria’s team attending the international gathering and requested the photo page of her international passport.
She said she provided the information promptly. However, she later received a message informing her that she would no longer be part of the delegation, with officials claiming that the passport details had been submitted late.
The development has sparked concerns about the composition of Nigeria’s delegation to an event specifically focused on women’s issues.
The senator’s removal has also raised questions about the criteria used in selecting delegates, particularly at a time when advocates continue to call for greater female representation in Nigerian politics and global policy discussions on gender equality.
