By Haruna Salami
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) caused a stir in the Senate Thursday, which almost grounded the plenary over her seat that was changed without her consent.
The plenary which started smoothly presided by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio was rudely interrupted when the Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Monguno raised a point of order.
Monguno drew the attention of the Senate President to “Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s improper seating position of the lawmaker.”
The Chief Whip had hardly concluded the point of order when Senator Natasha stood up to express her disapproval without being recognised to speak, which made the session rowdy, drawing the attention of Sergeant-At-Arms in a bid to excuse her from the plenary.
Akpabio’s attempt to calm frayed nerves was rebuffed as the female lawmaker insisted to know, “reasons her seat was changed without her consent.”
However, the chaos was controlled after Natasha’s microphone was switched off, an Act Akpabio could not accomplish from his seat.
Akpabio later attributed the confusion to the contractors who renovated the red chamber recently and apologised on behalf of the contractors.
However, as the plenary session progressed, other senators from Kogi state intervened in the controversy.
Senator Isah Jibrin (Kogi East), who spoke on behalf of Kogi caucus offered an apology on Natasha’s behalf and assured Akpabio that what happened would never recur.
Also, Senator Karimi Sunday (Kogi West), speaking on the matter, defended the process of seat reallocation and dismissing Natasha’s outburst as unnecessary.
He said, “Even as Chairman of the Committee on Senate Services, you don’t need to even tell me before you change seats.
“This morning, a senator told me he wanted a seat that had already been taken, but before you knew it, Senator Natasha shouted my name.
“When she came in, we extended an arm of friendship to her. In fact, we loved her too much. I don’t know why this place had to be turned upside down like that. I want to add that she should come out and apologize to us for her behavior this morning.”
In his response, Akpabio acknowledged Karimi’s frustration and sought to de-escalate tensions, saying, “Senator Karimi, I can see that you are very hurt. I just want to appeal to you to temper justice with mercy.”
This is not the first time Natasha and Akpabio have clashed over procedural issues. In July 2024, Natasha had a rough time with the Senate President when she attempted to speak without being formally recognised.
Akpabio, citing Senate standing orders, cut her off and rebuked her sharply, saying, “Senator Natasha, you cannot speak without being asked or invited to speak in the Senate. This is not a nightclub.”
His remark sparked widespread outrage on social media, with critics accusing him of condescension and bias against female lawmakers. A women’s advocacy group, Voices for Inclusion and Equity for Women (VIEW), condemned his remarks, calling them an attempt to suppress female voices in politics.
Feeling the heat from the backlash, Akpabio later apologized to Natasha, insisting he never intended to demean women.
He also admitted that he had been flooded with insults following the controversy.
