Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has claimed that the Senate leadership is planning to suspend her following a heated altercation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over her seating arrangement in the chamber.
“I know that right now they are planning my suspension. If I’m suspended, fine. It will not stop me from doing my work wherever I can. I have a number of projects in line, and I will keep serving my people. I’ll keep being a voice, and I will keep being loved by the citizens,” Akpoti-Uduaghan stated during a phone interview with Berekete Family, a human rights radio station in Abuja.
Tensions Over Senate Seating Arrangement
The controversy erupted after Akpoti-Uduaghan’s seat was relocated within the Senate chamber. Previously positioned on the second-to-last row of the minority section, she was moved to the last row without prior notice. In protest, she refused to vacate her original seat, a move deemed as violating Senate rules.
Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno invoked Section 6(1) of the Standing Rules, which grants the Senate President the authority to reassign seats when necessary. He justified the move, citing recent defections of opposition senators to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Senate President Akpabio upheld Monguno’s ruling and denied Akpoti-Uduaghan the chance to speak. When she persisted by raising her hand in protest, Akpabio muted her microphone and instructed the Sergeant-at-Arms to remove her from the chamber.
Senator Defends Her Actions
Akpoti-Uduaghan defended her stance, asserting that she acted within Senate rules. She invoked Order 10, which allows a senator to refer matters to the ethics and privileges committee rather than face immediate suspension.
“Yesterday, I did not speak out of order. He was considering my suspension, and I had to invoke Order 10, which allows for referral to the ethics and privileges committee instead of outright suspension. That’s what I did. If I had not done that, I would have been suspended on the floor,” she explained.
Despite her efforts to avert an immediate suspension, she remains convinced that moves are still underway to sanction her.
Claims of Harassment and Isolation
The senator also alleged that she has been subjected to continuous harassment and sidelined from key Senate activities.
“I have faced a lot of harassment. Many of my privileges have been revoked, including my participation in international events,” she said.
She claimed that following a controversial nightclub incident last year, she was deliberately removed from international delegations, including a United Nations event she had been invited to attend.
“Ever since that incident, I have been systematically excluded. My name was struck out from international engagements on the grounds that they will not promote me internationally,” she revealed, adding that she has since been funding her own foreign trips.
Regarding the seating dispute, she argued that the move was a strategic attempt to silence her.
“Seating arrangement is crucial. The nearer you are to the front, the more visible you are on camera and the higher your chances of being called upon to contribute. I was already at the back, and now I was suddenly moved even further without notice. This was clearly meant to isolate me,” she asserted.
Senate Committee Removal and Allegations of Bias
Akpoti-Uduaghan further disclosed that she was recently removed from the Senate Committee on Local Content due to allegations that she was diverting resources meant for the Niger Delta to the North.
“I was accused of using my position to redirect resources, which is completely untrue. The Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano pipeline is nearing completion, and we need gas to power industries across the country. This is a national issue, yet I was targeted unfairly,” she argued.
Senate’s Next Move Remains Unclear
Attempts by the radio station to get a response from Senate President Akpabio were unsuccessful. Although he picked the first call, he declined two subsequent calls.
If suspended, Akpoti-Uduaghan would join a list of opposition senators who have faced punitive measures. In March 2024, Bauchi Central Senator Abdul Ningi was suspended for three months after alleging that over N3 trillion was padded into the approved 2024 budget. He was later recalled after two months.
It remains uncertain what disciplinary action, if any, the Senate leadership will take against Akpoti-Uduaghan.
