As avoidable feud between suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti – Uduaghan and the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, assumes dimensional twists almost on weekly basis, TAIYE ODEWALE chronicles it
The Natasha/Akpabio feud
The now full blown battle between the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti – Uduaghan (PDP Kogi Central) and the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio (APC Akwa Ibom North West), started on the 20th of February this year when Senator Natasha refused to assume a new seat provided for her by the Senate leadership.…CONTINUE READING
On the said date during plenary, the refusal of Senator Natasha to accept the new seat, made the Whip of the Senate, Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno (APC Borno North), through Orders 6 and 24(2A) of the Senate Standing rules, drew the attention of colleagues to the unruly behaviour.
In doing that, he said: “Mr President, distinguished colleagues, I wish to bring to your notice, the refusal of Senator Natasha Akpoti – Uduaghan, to recognise the new sitting arrangement made by the leadership of the Senate.
“The new sitting arrangement arose due to the movement of some opposition members to the majority wing.
“Such adjustments fall within the constitutional prerogative of the Senate President.
“Failure to comply with the new seating arrangement, could lead to penalties, including being barred from participating in Senate discussions.
“Any senator who refuses to comply with seat reassignment will not be recognised or allowed to contribute to debate”.
Expectedly, Senator Natasha attempted to raise a counter point of order under breach of personal privileges but was rebuffed by the President of the Senate who swiftly upheld Monguno’s position with attendant heated arguments between him and Natasha.
Senator Natasha in the heated argument, said: “I don’t care if I am silenced, I am not afraid. You have denied me my privilege.
“Mr Senate President, ever since the night-club incident, you have deliberately silenced my voice.
“My bills have not been able to scale through to second reading.
“I am not afraid of being silenced, but I will continue to cry out against injustice .
“As a senator duly elected by my people, I chose to remain on this seat, come what may.
“The worst you can do is to suspend me from this sitting and that will not stop me from contributing my quota to my constituency, the Senate and Nigeria as a whole.
“Mr Senate President, I have taken a lot from you. If you don’t want me to speak publicly, I will let the whole world know how you have discriminated against me, maligned me, dehumanized me.
“Your choice of words have embarrassed me, Mr President, do what you may, I will not leave this seat.”
Apparently irked by Natasha’s outbursts, Akpabio in his response, not only instructed the Sergeant-at-Arms to intervene by taking Natasha out but insisted that she must abide with the decision in line with powers conferred on him by relevant provisions of the Senate rules.
He said: “Any senator may rise at any time to speak on a matter of privilege and move a motion declaring that a contempt or breach of privilege has been committed.
“The matter may then be referred to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges or the Committee of the Whole.
“I want the public to understand that we are a legislative body with defined rules. According to Section 6 (1) of the Standing Orders of the Senate, the President of the Senate shall allocate a seat to each senator. Section 6 (2) states that a senator may only speak from the seat allocated to them, and the President of the Senate may reassign seats from time to time.
“What happened today (February 20, 2025), was not arbitrary. It was a necessary adjustment, and it will continue to happen as the composition of the Senate changes. If you want to be a lawmaker, you must be prepared to abide by the law and rules”.
Sexual harassment as new dimension to the feud
Dissatisfied with failure to reject the new seat allocated to her, Senator Natasha Akpoti – Uduaghan, a day after, precisely on Friday, February 21, 2025, tabled the matter at the Human Rights Radio, popularly known as ‘Berekete Family’, where she insisted that her seat re-allocation by the President of the Senate, was driven by malicious envy and victimization for facilitating establishment of five LNG Plants in Ajaokuta by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) as Chairman, Senate Committee on Local Content.
Exactly a week after, Senator Natasha Akpoti – Uduaghan, appeared in a live programme on Arise Television and made allegation of sexual harassment against the President of the Senate by citing three different instances of such move by Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Senator Akpoti – Uduaghan, on Tuesday, March 5, 2025, presented a personally signed petition to the Senate on her alleged sexual harassment by Senator Godswill Akpabio which was, however, thrown out by the Senate, the following day, (March 6, 2025) for not signed by any of her constituents, the very day, she herself, was suspended for six months by the Senate for violation of standing rules of the Red Chamber through unpardonable disorderly conduct.
The IPU dimension
Taking the feud to another dimension, few days after her suspension for six months, Senator Akpoti – Uduaghan, attended the IPU conference in New York, United States, to present the wrong narrative on her suspension.
Natasha at the conference, told the international parliamentarians that she was suspended by the Nigeria Senate for raising the issue of sexual harassment against its President, Godswill Akpabio.
However, the leader of the Union, told her that what she said was not part of the agenda the conference was called for, and that even before taking any action or issuing any statement, the side of the Nigerian Senate on what actually led to her suspension must be heard.
Expectedly, right there at the conference, the Nigerian Senate reacted through the Chairman House Committee on Women Affairs, Hon Kafila Ogbara who addressed world press conference to debunk Natasha’s wrong narrative through a letter written to that effect by the leader of the Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC Ekiti Central)
Hon Ogbara while reading the Senate’s response said: “Senator Natasha-Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for gross misconduct and unruly behaviour and not as a result of allegation of sexual harassment or assault.
“The authority of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria firmly refutes the deliberate misinformation and false narrative being circulated by certain media organisations regarding the six months suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti – Uduaghan.
“Let it be unequivocally stated that Uduaghan was suspended solely for her persistent act of misconduct and disregard for the Senate Standing Orders.”
Vote of confidence in Akpabio
After effectively countering Senator Natasha’s wrong narrative to the IPU, the Senate on the 27th of March, 2025, passed votes of confidence in Akpabio through a motion moved by its leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central) and seconded by the Deputy Minority Leader, Olalere Oyewumi (Osun West).
Dimension of Gunmen attack in Ihima
Determined to remain afloat and not drowned in the river of public opinion, Senator Akpoti – Uduaghan, in the last weekend in March, alleged that gunmen attacked her family home in Ihima, Kogi State and accused Akpabio of being behind the alleged attack or assassination plot which was promptly reported to the Inspector – General of Police for investigation.
Sarcastic Apology
Weeks after allegation of assassination against Akpabio, Senator Natasha again, refreshed memories of Nigerians with her sexual harassment allegation against the President of the Senate with a purported letter of apology full of sarcasm.
In the 8- paragraph letter, Senator Akpoti – Uduaghan, not only made effort to denigrate the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio but the entire 10th Senate under his leadership.
The letter reads: “Dear Distinguished Senate President Godswill Akpabio,
“It is with the deepest sarcasm and utmost theatrical regret that I tender this apology for the grievous crime of possessing dignity and self-respect in your most exalted presence.
“I have reflected extensively on my unforgivable failure to recognise that legislative success in certain quarters is apparently not earned through merit, but through the ancient art of compliance — of the very personal kind.
“How remiss of me not to understand that my refusal to indulge your… “requests” was not merely a personal choice, but a constitutional violation of the unwritten laws of certain men’s entitlement.
“Truly, I must apologise for prioritising competence over capitulation, vision over vanity, and the people’s mandate over private dinners behind closed doors.
“I now realise the catastrophic consequences of my actions: legislation delayed, tempers flared, and the tragic bruising of egos so large they require their own postcodes.
“For this disruption to the natural order of “quid pro quo,” I bow my head in fictional shame.
“Please find it in your magnanimous heart — somewhere buried deep beneath layers of entitlement — to forgive this stubborn woman who mistakenly believed that her seat in the Senate was earned through elections, not erections”.
Enters Sandra Duru to take the wind out of Natasha’s sail
As often said, no matter how fast lies travel or how long, truth catches up with it in a matter of seconds or minutes.
That seems to be the unfolding scenario, going by submission of Sandra Duru last week against Senator Akpoti – Uduaghan’s feud with the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio.
However, time will tell whether Duru’s wind taking out of Sail of Natasha’s flurry of allegations against Akpabio, would eventually cease the storm or not?
-Blueprints
