The Nigerian Senate has unanimously voted to refer Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for disciplinary review following a heated dispute over her seating arrangement.
The Kogi senator engaged in a shouting match on February 20 after discovering that her seat had been changed without prior notice. The committee, chaired by Senator Neda Imaseun, has been given two weeks to investigate the matter and report back with its findings.
The decision was reached through a voice vote after lawmakers revisited the altercation, emphasizing the importance of maintaining parliamentary rules and decorum.
Raising a motion under Order 1(b) and 10, Senate spokesperson Senator Yemi Adaramodu condemned what he described as Akpoti-Uduaghan’s “extreme intransigence” during the February 20 session. He noted that the issue had dominated media discussions, forcing efforts to repair the Senate’s public image.
“The Senate is not a platform for content creation but a place for lawmaking and oversight functions,”Adaramodu said, urging Senate leadership to enforce discipline. “Where there is sin, there must be a penalty.”
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele also supported the motion, stressing that the Senate must uphold its rules and internal order.
“There is no one who does not have an opinion on this issue, but we are unified by our rules. Under our watch, we will not allow this institution to be discredited beyond what we inherited. Integrity is non-negotiable,” he stated.
Bamidele dismissed claims that the dispute was fueled by gender bias or discrimination, citing instances of senior senators accepting seat changes without protest.
In response, Senate President Godswill Akpabio directed the Ethics and Privileges Committee to conduct a thorough review of the incident. He clarified that while senators may sit anywhere in the chamber, official contributions must be made from their designated seats.
“The first day she was sworn in, she stood up to contribute, and I was worried if she had even read the rule book. There is nothing wrong with being vibrant, but everything wrong with disobeying procedure,”Akpabio said.
Citing Order 66(2) and Section 55 of Senate rules, he reiterated that senators must conduct themselves with decorum, including refraining from chewing gum, drinking water, or being disruptive during sittings.
“The rules empower the Senate President to suspend a senator for infractions for at least 14 days. It’s not me who made the rules, it’s in the rule book,” he concluded.
The Ethics and Privileges Committee is expected to present its findings within two weeks.
