Natasha’s reason for her removal as committee chair misleading- Senator

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas, Agom Jarigbe, has clarified that the removal of Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Local Content had no connection to the siting of Mini LNG Plants in Ajaokuta, Kogi State.

Mr Jarigbe, who represents Cross River North Senatorial District, made the clarification in a statement on Sunday.

“The claim that her role or involvement in the siting of the LNG plants played a part in her replacement is categorically incorrect,” he said.

This clarification follows a claim by the Kogi senator in a telephone interview with Berekete Family, a human rights radio station in Abuja, on Friday.

In the interview, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was recently removed from the Senate Committee on Local Content due to perceived biases and that some lawmakers suspected she was diverting resources meant for the Niger Delta to the north.

“Just two weeks ago, I was removed from a committee on local content. I was moved from there because some people perceived that I was using that office to divert resources from the Niger Delta to the north, and that was not it,” she said in the interview.

However, Mr Jarigbe, a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan, refuted these claims, describing them as baseless and misleading.

Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan has been an outspoken lawmaker, particularly in the Senate Committee on Steel Development, where she serves as vice chairperson.

During the 2025 budget defence sessions in January, she actively scrutinised and criticised the Federal Ministry of Steel Development, uncovering fraudulent activities involving ghost contractors and unimplemented projects.

Notably, on 22 January, she raised concerns over a questionable N2 billion project for youth training in metal works. She highlighted discrepancies in the budget and inconsistent implementation.

Her tenure as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Local Content was also marked by rigorous oversight, ensuring accountability from agencies under its jurisdiction.

However, on 4 February, upon resumption of plenary for the year, Senate President Godswill Akpabio reassigned her from the local content committee to the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.

Given that the local content committee oversees lucrative oil agencies, many speculate that her reassignment was politically motivated, possibly reacting to her unwavering scrutiny of government projects.

Response to allegation of LNG projects influence

Mr Jarigbe said neither Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan nor the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) played any role in determining the location of the LNG plants.

He explained that the LNG projects, which are Prime LNG, NGML/Gasnexus LNG, BUA LNG, Highland LNG, and LNG Arete, are private sector-driven initiatives, not federal government projects.

He further emphasised that the decision to site the plants in Ajaokuta was made solely by private investors after considering economic viability, access to gas pipelines, and operational efficiency.

Mr Jarigbe also noted that while Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan was invited to project engagements, her participation was not different from that of other National Assembly members, and her presence did not equate to influencing the project’s location.

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“As chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas, I have received numerous inquiries from concerned Nigerians questioning why Ajaokuta was selected as the site for these Plants.

“Private investors make decisions based on the profitability and sustainability of their investments, not political affiliations or considerations,” he said.

Call for conduct and responsibility among senators

Mr Jarigbe also urged his colleagues to exercise caution in their public remarks, reminding them that parliamentary immunity applies only within the Senate chambers.

He cautioned against defamatory statements and emphasised the need for decorum in legislative conduct.

“There is no protection or immunity outside the chamber, and we must exercise restraint and circumspection in our speeches and actions.

“Our behaviour and words must reflect the dignity and responsibility vested in us by the people of Nigeria. The law does not provide immunity for a Senator who defames anyone,” Mr Jarigbe said.

The senator encouraged adherence to Senate Standing Orders.

He said, “Finally, I urge my distinguished colleagues to review and adhere to the Senate Standing Orders and to conduct ourselves in a manner that upholds the sanctity of the Senate and the high office we hold.”