Drama In Senate As Akpabio Orders Senator Natasha Out Of Chamber.
A tense session unfolded in the Senate on Thursday when Senate President Godswill Akpabio ordered the Sergeant-at-Arms to remove Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, from the chamber.
The altercation stemmed from a report by Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno, who informed the Senate that Senator Natasha had refused to relocate to a new seat assigned to her. The reassignment was necessitated by the defection of two opposition senators to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Citing Senate Orders 24 and 6, Monguno highlighted the Senate President’s authority to reassign seats and noted that senators could only speak from their designated positions. However, Senator Natasha, standing from her original seat, attempted to invoke Order 10, arguing that her privileges had been violated.
Akpabio ruled her out of order, stating that she could not be recognised while speaking from an unauthorised seat. In response, Natasha accused the Senate leadership of suppressing her voice and blocking her legislative contributions, including her bills.
Visibly frustrated, she declared that she would not be sidelined, stating: “I don’t care if I am silenced. I am not afraid of you. You have denied me my privilege.” She further alleged discrimination and defamation, accusing Akpabio of using language that demeaned women.
Her defiance led Akpabio to order her removal from the chamber, but intervention from fellow senators prevented her forceful ejection. Senator Austin Akobundu and other lawmakers stepped in, urging calm and pleading for de-escalation.
The Chairman of the Kogi Senate Caucus, Senator Isa Jibrin, condemned Natasha’s actions and apologised on her behalf, acknowledging that the seat reassignment was a consequence of recent political shifts.
As tensions eased, Natasha eventually ceased her protest, allowing plenary proceedings to resume. The incident, however, has sparked discussions about internal Senate dynamics and the treatment of minority voices within the chamber.
