NIGERIA: Chaos In Senate As Akpabio Orders Senator Natasha’s Suspension Over Seat Change

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria

A heated confrontation erupted in the Senate on Thursday, as Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central clashed with Senate President Godswill Akpabio, over the unauthorized relocation of her seat.

Tensions flared when Chief Whip Senator Mohammed Ali Monguno raised a point of order concerning Natasha’s seating arrangement.

As Monguno spoke, Natasha forcefully interrupted, demanding an explanation for the abrupt change.

“Why was my seat moved without my consent?” she queried, refusing to be silenced as murmurs spread across the chamber.

The situation escalated quickly, leading Akpabio to instruct the Sergeant-at-Arms to remove the Kogi senator from the plenary.

However, Natasha stood her ground, resisting the directive and openly challenging Akpabio’s authority.

“I am not afraid of you, and I will not be silenced,” she declared defiantly, drawing attention to what she described as a pattern of marginalization against her.

She further accused Akpabio of sidelining her legislative contributions, alleging that her bills had been repeatedly blocked from advancing to a second reading.

Efforts to de-escalate the standoff proved difficult, with tensions running high among lawmakers.

The chamber was only restored to order after the public address systems were shut down, forcing a temporary halt in proceedings.