Frustrated by Natasha’s defiance, Akpabio directed the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort her out of the chamber.
The senate chamber was thrown into chaos as a heated exchange erupted between Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi central) and the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, over the change of her seat without her consent.
The tension began when senate chief whip, Sen. Tahir Monguno, raised a point of order, alerting Akpabio to what he described as Natasha’s “improper seating position.” However, before Monguno could even conclude his statement, Natasha forcefully challenged the situation, demanding to know why her seat had been changed without her consent.
As voices rose and tempers flared, Akpabio attempted to restore order, but Natasha stood her ground, refusing to back down. Frustrated by her defiance, Akpabio directed the Sergeant-at-Arms (SAA) to escort her out of the chamber.
He said “Can the sergeant at arms please take her out of the senate.” He further warned that if she refused to remain silent, she could face suspension.
Her microphone was immediately switched off as SAA personnel moved to remove her, but Natasha resisted, raising her voice even louder saying, “I don’t care if I am silenced. I am not afraid of you. You have denied me my privilege.”
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Sensing the escalating situation, some senators approached her in an attempt to calm her down, but she remained steadfast, and refused to move to her newly allocated seat.
In response to the uproar, Akpabio took a swipe at the ongoing disruptions, referencing South Africa’s Parliament, where opposition leader, Julius Malema, was interrupted with calls to “sit down.”
He said, “When the chambers was renovated, one of the things I said was that i hope the renovation will not turn us into South African Parliament, where you hear ‘Malema sit down, Malema sit down’ and that is because we know how the electronic system ought to work.”
He reminisced about a similar experience during his time in the 8th senate, acknowledging that he, too, had protested a seat change but managed to resolve the issue without it becoming a public spectacle.
“I recall that in the 8th senate, I had almost a similar issue, where seats were reallocated as a result of movement and I also moved at that time.
“So when I came into the chambers, they gave me a different seat. I also voiced out my anger, and I said, what is going on here?
“The senate president was able to control the situation so everything I said did not get out to the public and so social media had nothing to feast on.
“So unfortunately, we need to go back to our old microphone system so that people will not speak out of order, and they’ll not speak when they are not recognised.”
He concluded by mockingly saying, “So I apologise on behalf of the contractor for the issue.”
As the plenary session progressed, other senators from Kogi state weighed in on the controversy. Sen. Isah Jibrin openly criticised Natasha’s reaction and went a step further by offering an apology on her behalf.
Sen. Karimi Sunday also spoke on the matter, defending the process of seat reallocation and dismissing Natasha’s outburst as unnecessary.
He said, “Even as chairman 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 has been taken but before you know 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 will be turned upside down like that. I want to add that she should come out and apologise to us for her behaviour 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.”
A pattern of clashes
This is not the first time Natasha and Akpabio have locked horns over procedural issues. In July 2024, Natasha had another run-in 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 apologised to Natasha, insisting he never intended to demean women. He also admitted that his phone had been flooded with insults following the controversy.
Notably, Natasha is not the only female senator who has clashed with Akpabio. Around the same period, Sen. Ireti Kingibe (LP, FCT) also had a run-in with the senate president while pushing for urgent intervention for fire victims in Karu Market, Abuja.
