Senate Faces Backlash Over UN Women Representation

Senate Faces Backlash Over UN Women Representation

A fresh dispute has surfaced in Nigeria’s Senate as preparations begin for the 2026 Commission on the Status of Women meeting at the United Nations in New York.

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was left out of the official Senate delegation despite earlier signs she was being considered for the international gathering that starts on 9 March.

The issue unfolded in Abuja during discussions around the Senate’s participation in the global conference on gender equality.

Senator Ireti Heebah Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory and heads the Senate Committee on Women Affairs, had earlier indicated she might withdraw from the trip if Akpoti-Uduaghan did not attend.

Developments later shifted after a letter dated 5 March clarified that only two senators had been formally nominated and registered for the event.

The names listed were Kingibe and Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire, while the wider delegation from the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs was still being arranged.

The situation has stirred debate within political circles as Nigeria currently has only a few female senators. Observers question why one of the limited Senate slots for a global conference focused on women went to a male lawmaker while another female senator linked to gender advocacy was not included.

Akpoti-Uduaghan was told she could still attend the meeting on her own if she holds a valid United States visa.

Entry into the United Nations venue, however, would depend on official accreditation handled by the Ministry of Women Affairs as the conference gets underway in New York.