Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has distanced herself from a Senate committee report that recommended disciplinary action against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, saying she was surprised to see what appeared to be a photocopy of her signature on the document.

She made the claim during an interview on Arise TV on Wednesday, where she also criticised the National Assembly for what she described as its weakened role in checking the powers of the executive arm of government.

Kingibe explained that she attended a meeting of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions but left shortly afterwards to attend a retreat on tax reform, which she said was more relevant to her responsibilities and constituents.

According to her, she neither saw nor reviewed the final report before it was submitted. She insisted she was later shocked to find that her signature appeared on the document.

“I couldn’t have endorsed the committee report because I didn’t see it,” she said.

The FCT senator said she had raised the issue with senior Senate officials, including the Deputy Senate President, over her inability to access or review the report before its submission.

While clarifying that she was not alleging forgery, Kingibe stressed that lawmakers must be allowed adequate time and access to scrutinise committee reports before appending their signatures, warning that failure to do so undermines transparency and accountability in the legislature.

“The truth of the matter is there are many things that I feel should not be the way they are,” she stated.

She added that the suspension of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan could have been handled differently, arguing that similar disputes in the past were often resolved through apologies rather than prolonged disciplinary measures.

According to her, senators who breach parliamentary rules typically acknowledge their mistakes and apologise, after which such matters are resolved within the chamber.

Kingibe said the controversy surrounding Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension dragged on unnecessarily and suggested that an apology could have ended the issue earlier.

She also faulted the National Assembly’s performance, arguing that it has increasingly functioned as a “cooperating arm” of the Executive rather than an independent institution tasked with oversight.

According to her, many actions attributed to the Executive would not succeed without the backing or acquiescence of lawmakers.

“I don’t think the Senate is performing its constitutional role effectively as a check on executive power,” she said, adding that legislators also bear responsibility for decisions often blamed solely on the presidency.