Shortly after the passage of the recommendations, Akpoti-Uduaghan rose up saying, “this injustice will not be sustained.”
The senate has suspended Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi central) for a period of six months following the adoption of a report by the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions during Thursday’s plenary session.
This development comes in the wake of a heated confrontation in the Senate two Thursdays ago when Akpoti-Uduaghan strongly protested the reassignment of her seat by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Upon arriving at the chamber, she discovered that her nameplate had been removed and her seat reassigned, prompting her to demand an explanation for what she perceived as an unjustified and deliberate move against her.
Background of the suspension
The ethics committee had conducted an investigative hearing into Akpoti-Uduaghan’s conduct after a motion was presented by senate spokesperson, Sen. Yemi Adaramodu (APC, Ekiti south). Despite her absence at the hearing, the committee proceeded with its deliberations and submitted its report to the senate.
During Thursday’s plenary, Sen. Neda Imasuen (LP, Edo south), Chairman of the Ethics Committee, presented the committee’s findings and recommendations, which included:
•A six-month suspension from all legislative activities, effective March 6, 2025.
•Immediate surrender of all senate properties in her possession.
•A directive barring her and her staff from the legislative chamber and premises throughout the suspension period.
•Prohibition from representing herself as a senator, both locally and internationally, during the suspension.
Senators React: Confessions, rebukes, and calls for order
The debate on Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension took an emotional turn when Sen. Karimi Sunday (APC, Kogi West), visibly frustrated, admitted his role in advocating for her to be appointed as the Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Local Content.
”I want to confess my sin today because this is the holy month of Ramadan and at the same time, time of fasting.
“I am one of those that put you in this problem and I’m very sorry. When my sister came to the senate, you were very reluctant giving her a leadership position. I want to recall your word, you said she’s a rookie and there are people that came before her. You said you wouldn’t do that and hat your conscience would not allow you to do that.
“Then finally me and senator Jibril came to you that that position that senator Ohere left is for Kogi State and that you must give it back to Kogi State. I even went to meet with the husband to strategise on how she will be given that chairmanship of local content and finally, you succumbed. I am very sorry, sir,” he added.
He lamented that despite their efforts, she had turned against them over a mere seat reassignment.
Recounting the day the incident began, he said, “She was very unhappy. She shouted my name to the high heavens, abused me, abused my mother. For what? For simple seat?
“I am a Christian, and I know in the book of Matthew 5:9, the Bible says, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.’”
He thereafter read a private message he had sent to Akpoti-Uduaghan urging her to make peace.
Similarly, Sen. Asuquo Ekpenyong criticised her behaviour, stating that her public outbursts and disregard for Senate rules were inappropriate, especially in front of students observing from the gallery.
He said, “I was present, as were many of you, on the 20th of February. When this issue arose, I watched from my vantage position here, the screaming, the shouting, the speaking, even without recognition, in front of an audience and young school children sat up there from the gallery, watching this display.
“Every association, every institution has its rules, we cannot pick which one we will defend, or which one we will choose to adopt and ignore the others.
“What occurred here was a flagrant disregard, or maybe a misunderstanding of these rules.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio also weighed in, disclosing that he had a personal relationship with her family, even attending her wedding despite logistical challenges.
“I slept in Dangote Cement factory in Obajana, Kogi State, on the night of Senator Natasha’s wedding because the Kogi airport lights were in a poor state,” Akpabio stated.
Following the presentation of the report, Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro (PDP, Benue south), appealed for a reduction in the suspension period from six months to three months. However, some senators, including Senators Muntari Dandutse (APC, Katsina south) and Fasuyi Cyril (APC, Ekiti north), had initially supported the six-month suspension.
Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia north) pleaded with the senate to ensure that the salaries and allowances of Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s aides remain intact, even though they would be barred from accessing the National Assembly premises during her three-month suspension.
His motion was seconded by Sen. Ned Nwoko (PDP, Delta north) and subsequently adopted by the senate.
Shortly after the passage of the recommendations, Akpoti-Uduaghan rose up saying, “this injustice will not be sustained.”
She thereafter stood up and exited the National Assembly premises in a vehicle.
Earlier, the Senate cautioned Akpoti-Uduaghan against continuous violations of its Standing Orders.
Senate Chief Whip, Sen. Tahir Monguno, accused her of deliberately refusing to stand whenever Akpabio entered the chamber, violating Senate Standing Orders 55(1).
“Senator Natasha has been consistently and persistently in breach of this rule.
“He who comes to equity must come with clean hands.
“If you are seeking refuge always under Order 10, you cannot approbate and reprobate.
“We urge her to study the rules and comply in observance and not in breach,” Monguno said.
Re-submission of sexual harassment petition against Akpabio
Earlier in the day, Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan once again submitted a sexual harassment petition against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, this time on behalf of her constituents, led by Zubairu Yakubu.
During plenary, Senate President Akpabio sought clarification on whether there were any legal impediments to accepting the petition. Akpoti-Uduaghan affirmed that there were none, leading to the referral of the petition to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, with a directive to report back within four weeks.
Previous petition rejected
This latest petition comes just a day after Akpoti-Uduaghan unsuccessfully attempted to submit a similar petition. That petition sparked controversy, with Senate Chief Whip, Sen. Mohammed Monguno (APC, Borno north), arguing that it could not be entertained because of an ongoing court case involving Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan and Ekaette Akpabio, the wife of the Senate President.
Additionally, Sen. Neda Imasuen, Chairman of the Ethics Committee, ruled the petition “dead on arrival,” citing violations of Order 40 of the Senate Standing Orders.
