Senate Spokesperson Criticizes Akpoti-Uduaghan Over Confrontation with Senate President

Senate Spokesperson Criticizes Akpoti-Uduaghan Over Confrontation with Senate President

Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu has criticized Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for her recent confrontation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio regarding the reassignment of her seat.

The dispute escalated on Thursday when Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, refused to accept her new seat allocation, invoking Order 10 of the Senate standing rules to protect her privileges. This reshuffle followed the defection of several opposition members to the ruling party, resulting in changes to seating arrangements. Akpoti-Uduaghan accused the Senate leadership of attempting to suppress her voice, asserting, “I don’t care if I am silenced. I am not afraid of you. You have denied me my privilege,” during a heated exchange.

As tensions rose, Akpabio directed the sergeant-at-arms to remove Akpoti-Uduaghan from the chamber, but several lawmakers intervened to de-escalate the situation.

In an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Dail, Adaramodu dismissed Akpoti-Uduaghan's claims of marginalization, stating that the National Assembly is meant for serious work, not theatrics. “What we are saying is that the national assembly is not for content creation or entertainment. The national assembly is for serious business,” he remarked