Senate uproar as Akpabio, Akpoti-Uduaghan clash over seat change

By Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja

There was uproar during Senate plenary on Thursday as the senator representing Kogi Central, Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, protested a decision by the Senate president, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, to reallocate her seat.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan flared up when she entered the chamber for the day’s plenary but could not find her name on the seat she usually occupies. She immediately raised her voice, expressing displeasure over the matter.

Relying on Order 10 of the Senate standing rules, which deals with privileges, she asked the Senate president to recognise her to speak, but her request was denied. When she continued shouting despite the denial, Sen. Akpabio directed the Sergeant-at-Arms to restore decorum to the chamber.

The Senate leader, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central), and other colleagues approached her to calm the situation and explained the reason for the change in seating, after which the business of the day commenced.

Later, Sen. Isah Jibrin (Kogi East), rising on Order 42, which allows for personal explanation, recalled the incident. He noted that recent defections had left vacant seats, prompting the reshuffling. He apologised to the Senate president and the entire chamber for Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s behaviour, describing it as “uncalled for,” and urged that the matter not be escalated.

Sen. Karimi Sunday (Kogi West), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Services, relying on Order 14, which addresses privileges and discipline, expressed displeasure over how Akpoti-Uduaghan addressed him during her outburst. He stated that although she shouted his name, he chose not to respond.

Ruling on the matter, Sen. Akpabio urged senators offended by the incident to “temper justice with mercy and forgive.” He emphasised that reallocating seats was routine and guided by Senate Standing Orders.

He explained, “The framers of the Standing Orders of the Senate, Section 6(1) and (2), state that a senator may only speak from the seat allocated to him or her, provided that the president of the Senate may change the allocation from time to time.”

“I want the public to realise that what we are doing here is guided by rules and the constitution. We don’t do things arbitrarily,” he added.

“What happened today is an aberration. My ruling is that senators should not feel offended. Let us focus on the business that brought us here—supporting the government of Nigeria to provide the dividends of democracy and move this country forward.”