The Senate has unanimously decided to refer Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for disciplinary review following her recent dispute over seat allocation.
The Kogi Senator engaged in a heated exchange on February 20 after discovering that her seat had been reassigned without prior notice.
The committee, led by Senator Neda Imaseun, has been given two weeks to investigate and present its findings.
The resolution was passed via a voice vote after lawmakers revisited the altercation between Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Senate leadership, emphasizing the importance of maintaining parliamentary rules and decorum.
Raising a motion under Order 1(b) and 10, Senate spokesperson Senator Yemi Adaramodu criticized Akpoti-Uduaghan’s “extreme intransigence” during the February 20 session.
He noted that the controversy had dominated media discussions, forcing him to work on managing the Senate’s public image.
“The Senate is not a platform for content creation but a place for lawmaking and oversight functions,” he stated, urging the leadership to enforce discipline, adding that “where there is sin, there must be a penalty.”
Backing Adaramodu, Senate Leader Senator Opeyemi Bamidele reaffirmed the chamber’s commitment to upholding its rules.
He stressed that while opinions on the issue might vary, the Senate must remain unified by its guiding principles.
“We will not allow this institution to be discredited beyond what we inherited. Integrity is non-negotiable,” he said, dismissing claims that the controversy stemmed from gender bias, citing instances where senior senators accepted seat changes without protest.
In response, Senate President Godswill Akpabio directed the Committee on Ethics and Privileges to review the incident and report back.
Akpabio explained that while Senate rules allow members to sit anywhere, official contributions must be made from designated seats.
He suggested that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s reaction stemmed from a lack of familiarity with Senate procedures.
“On her first day after being sworn in, she stood up to contribute, and I was concerned whether she had even read the rule book. There is nothing wrong with being vibrant, but everything wrong with disregarding procedure,” he stated.
Citing Order 66(2) and Section 55 of the Senate rules, he emphasized the importance of proper conduct during sessions, which includes prohibitions on chewing gum, drinking water, or causing disruptions.
“The rules empower the Senate President to suspend a senator for at least 14 days for infractions. It’s not me who made the rules; it’s in the rule book,” Akpabio concluded.
