Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu has criticized Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over her reaction to a change in her seating arrangement in the Senate chamber. The disagreement arose after her seat was reassigned due to a reshuffling prompted by opposition members switching to the majority side.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), refused to accept the new seating arrangement, citing Order 10 of the Senate Standing Rules, which protects members’ privileges. She openly challenged the decision, insisting that the move was an attempt to silence her.
During the heated session, the senator expressed her displeasure, stating, “I don’t care if I am silenced. I am not afraid of you. You have denied me my privilege.”
Her outburst led to Senate President Godswill Akpabio calling for security to remove her from the chamber. However, other lawmakers stepped in, preventing further confrontation.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Adaramodu criticized Akpoti-Uduaghan’s behavior, stating that the National Assembly is a place for serious legislative work, not for theatrics.
“What we are saying is that the National Assembly is not for content creation in entertainment. National Assembly is for serious business,” he said.
He also responded to her claims of being sidelined, noting that despite being a first-term senator, she had been given significant responsibilities.
“If she is talking like that, being bullied or sidelined, as a first-timer, she even had three committees that she was appointed as chairman. You are entitled to only one committee to be the chairman, and she is in charge of Foreign Affairs, NGOs now,” he noted.
When asked about possible disciplinary actions, Adaramodu stated that her fellow Kogi senator, Isah Jubril, had already apologized on her behalf, and the Senate had accepted the apology. “The Senate as a whole has already accepted that tendered apology, so we are not going to revisit that,” he said.
