SENATE REMOVES SENATOR NATASHA AKPOTI-UDUAGHAN FROM NIGERIA'S DELEGATION TO UN WOMEN'S CONFERENCE, REPLACES HER WITH MALE SENATOR. (PHOTO).
The Nigerian Senate has removed Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) from the country's official delegation to the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), sparking controversy over female representation at a global forum dedicated to women's rights and gender equality. The CSW70 session, which runs from March 9 to March 19, 2026, at the United Nations headquarters in New York, focuses on enhancing access to justice for women and girls while accelerating progress toward gender equality. Member states, including Nigeria, send delegations to participate in discussions and negotiate outcomes. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was initially invited by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs to join Nigeria's delegation and promptly submitted the requested photo page of her international passport. However, she was later informed that her participation was no longer possible due to alleged late submission of documents. The issue surfaced publicl...