The Senate descended into chaos during a plenary session on Wednesday following a heated exchange between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) over the unauthorized relocation of her seat. The disruption began when Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan entered the chamber to find her nameplate missing from her usual seat, and she immediately raised her voice in protest, demanding an explanation and invoking Order 10 of the Senate Standing Rules, which protects members’ privileges.
As proceedings got underway, Senate Chief Whip, Senator Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North), attempted to address the issue by raising a point of order and alerting Akpabio to what he described as Natasha’s “improper seating position.” However, before Monguno could finish his statement, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan forcefully interrupted, insisting on knowing why her seat had been changed without her consent. The exchange quickly escalated, with tempers flaring and voices raised until President Akpabio ordered the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort her out of the chamber, warning that she could face suspension if she refused to comply. “Can the Sergeant-at-Arms please take her out of the Senate?” he commanded. Despite her microphone being switched off by security personnel, she resisted removal, continuing to protest even louder.
The situation nearly disrupted the entire session, prompting other senators to intervene and urge calm. Senators from Kogi State, led by Senator Isah Jibrin (APC, Kogi East), pleaded for understanding, while Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) and others worked to de-escalate the tension. Amid the commotion, Akpabio compared the incident to the often tumultuous proceedings in South Africa’s Parliament, where opposition leader Julius Malema frequently faces similar orders to “sit down.”
Reflecting on his own experience, Akpabio recalled, “In the 8th Senate, my seat was changed without prior notice. I voiced my displeasure, but the matter was resolved internally.” He also suggested, with a hint of sarcasm, that the Senate revert to the old microphone system to prevent senators from speaking out of turn, apologizing “on behalf of the contractor” for the current issue. As the session progressed, Senator Isah Jibrin, citing Order 42 concerning personal explanations, apologized on behalf of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, attributing the unauthorized seat change to recent resignations and reassignments.
Senator Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West) defended the reallocation process, criticizing Natasha’s reaction as unnecessary by stating, “When she came in, we extended an arm of friendship to her, we loved her too much. I don’t know why she turned the place upside down,” and urged her to apologize. Eventually, Senate President Akpabio intervened to calm the situation further, addressing Senator Karimi by saying, “Senator Karimi, I can see that you are very hurt. I just want to appeal to you to temper justice with mercy.” He reiterated that seat reallocation is a routine matter governed by the Senate’s Standing Orders and that any changes are within his discretion as Senate President. “I want the public to understand that our proceedings are governed by rules and the Constitution,” he concluded.
