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Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has openly challenged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, declaring that she has no fear of Nigeria’s third-highest-ranking official.
Tensions flared during a heated exchange between Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan over a sudden change in seating arrangements within the chamber.
The disagreement arose when Akpoti-Uduaghan’s seat was reassigned at the start of the plenary session, a move she resisted. In response, Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno defended the decision, citing constitutional provisions and explaining that the adjustment was necessary to accommodate opposition lawmakers who had recently defected to the ruling party.
Monguno further warned that failure to comply with the new seating arrangement could have consequences, including restricting her ability to participate in legislative discussions.
Akpabio supported Monguno’s stance, and when Akpoti-Uduaghan attempted to speak from her original seat, she was denied recognition.
The situation intensified as Akpoti-Uduaghan strongly objected, arguing that her parliamentary rights had been infringed upon.
“I don’t care if I am silenced. I am not afraid of you. You have denied me my privilege,” the Kogi lawmaker said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan created a commotion before being surrounded by the sergeant-at-arms, who attempted to escort her out of the plenary session.
Order was eventually restored after the sound system was deactivated, allowing calm to return to the chamber.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio rejected calls from some senators to impose sanctions on Akpoti-Uduaghan for her disruptive conduct during the session.
According to the Senate’s standing rules, the authority to assign seats within the chamber rests solely with the Senate President.
Clearly displeased with the change in her seating arrangement, Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of repeatedly showing her disrespect.
Raising her voice in protest, she recalled a previous incident during a plenary session last year when Akpabio remarked, “Senator Natasha, we are not in the nightclub.”
“Since the nightclub incident, you have been disrespecting me. How can you change my seat without my consent. I am not afraid of you,” she screamed.
A visibly unsettled Akpabio watched as the female senator continued her outburst, while some of her colleagues attempted to pacify her.
Efforts by certain senators to escalate the situation were firmly resisted by Akpabio. Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West) urged the Senate President to initiate disciplinary action against Akpoti-Uduaghan, but Akpabio refused.
At one point, Akpabio warned that she would be removed from the chamber if she persisted with her verbal confrontation. Eventually, order was restored as the lawmaker took her reassigned seat.
Meanwhile, Senator Jibrin Isah (Kogi East) insisted that Akpoti-Uduaghan should tender an apology to Akpabio and the entire Senate for her disruptive conduct.
Realizing that Akpabio had no interest in prolonging the dispute, Senator Isah took it upon himself to apologize on her behalf and on behalf of the Kogi caucus in the Senate.
Maintaining his composure despite the tense exchange, Akpabio urged his colleagues to move on and refocus on their legislative responsibilities.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s emotional reaction appeared to stem from a past encounter in 2024 when Akpabio, presiding over a session, reprimanded her, stating that the Senate chamber was not a nightclub.
Although Akpabio had since apologized for that remark, the events of Thursday suggested that unresolved grievances may have fueled her response.
Once tempers cooled, Akpabio clarified that the minor adjustment in seating arrangements was necessitated by the recent defection of Senator Ned Nwoko from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressive Congress, APC.
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