Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi central, has alleged that she was left out of Nigeria’s delegation to the 2026 session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York.
In a statement issued by her media office, the lawmaker said she was excluded despite earlier indications that she was being prepared for the trip.
The conference is expected to bring together government officials, activists and policymakers from around the world.
Ireti Kingibe, senator representing the Federal Capital Territory and chairperson of the Senate committee on women affairs, has been linked to the controversy.
During a Senate budget presentation session, Kingibe reportedly warned that she would boycott the conference if Akpoti-Uduaghan was not included in the delegation.
“If Senator Natasha Akpoti is not going to attend the programme, it means I am not going to attend too,” she said.
The statement was widely interpreted within the National Assembly of Nigeria as an expression of solidarity with the Kogi central senator.
‘Only two senators nominated’
However, in a letter dated March 5, Kingibe informed Akpoti-Uduaghan that only two senators had been officially nominated and registered for the conference.
“For the sake of clarity, I can confirm that at this stage, only two members of the Senate have been officially nominated by the Senate President and have confirmed registration: myself and Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire,” the letter reads.
Kingibe explained that the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs had not yet finalised the wider list of delegates or completed travel and accommodation arrangements for Nigeria’s team.
Documents circulating online indicate that Akpoti-Uduaghan may earlier have been considered for the trip.
A WhatsApp message reportedly sent by an aide associated with Kingibe requested the international passport data page of the Kogi central senator.
“Good afternoon ma’am… Please we need your principal’s data page for CSW New York,” the message reads.
An image of an international passport data page was said to have been sent shortly after the request.
Nigeria currently has four female senators in the National Assembly, including Kingibe and Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The others are Idiat Adebule, senator representing Lagos west, and Ipalibo Banigo, senator representing Rivers west.
In the letter, Kingibe also advised Akpoti-Uduaghan that she could still attend the conference independently if she already had a valid United States visa.
“While the official Ministry-sponsored list remains pending, please be advised that if you already possess a valid United States visa and wish to attend independently, you are most welcome to join the delegation in New York,” she wrote.
She added that entry into the United Nations complex would depend on formal accreditation processed by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.