Within the last one month, Senator Natasha Akpoti – Uduaghan’s twisted stories have dominated the media space, which however, boomeranged at the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) conference in New York penultimate week. TAIYE ODEWALE reports
Natasha’s self told and twisted stories
Senator Natasha Akpoti – Uduaghan who joined the 10th Senate in November 2023 after the Appeal Court Judgement of October 31, 2023, that announced her as the actual winner of Kogi East Senatorial Election which took place on Saturday, February 23, 2023 during the Presidential and National Assembly election across the country; became an ‘enfant terrible’ in the red chamber after re – allocation of her seat on Thursday, February 20, 2025.
Trouble started on the said date, when 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 the Senate to refusal of Senator Natasha to sit on a new seat allocated to her.
Monguno posited that the new sitting arrangement arose due to movement of some minority 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 a seat reassignment will not be recognized or allowed to contribute to debate”, he said.
Accordingly, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, upheld Monguno’s position by ruling in favour of his point of order.
But Senator Natasha objected by without being recognised, raised order 10 of the Senate’s standing rules to reject the new seat and launched tirades at the Senate President for allegedly silencing her.
Natasha in her protest 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 President, do what you may, I will not leave this seat.”
Akpabio’s plead for peace
After earlier out of annoyance, ordered Senator Natasha to be taken out of the Hallowed Chamber by Sergeant – at – arms , Akpabio later pleaded for peace to reign by appealing to the embarrassed Senators to take the matter as it was then and also appealed to Senator Natasha to allow Senate forge ahead with the legislative business of the day.
“This is the Nigerian Senate, where accomplished and mature individuals are gathered. 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.
“Let us not take this further by referring it to the Committee of the Whole. Let us focus on why we were elected. The matter will be addressed at the appropriate time.
“I appeal to you to temper justice with mercy and forgive. Insults are part of leadership.
“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.
“Please, Senators, do not take offense. Let us return to the business that brought us here—serving the Nigerian people and ensuring the government delivers dividends to our citizens”, he pleaded.
Natasha’s story telling outside the Chamber
Twenty four hours after the incident perceived to have been resolved within the hallowed chamber of the Senate, Senator Natasha Akpoti – Uduaghan discussed the issue of seats re – allocation in the Senate in a live programme of Human Rights Radio, popularly known as ‘Berekete family’, on Friday, February 21, 2025 where she presented narrative of being witch hunted by the President of the Senate.
She specifically at the programme alleged that her facilitation of 5 NLNG plants to Ajaokuta as Chairman, Senate Committee on Local Content, made Akpabio to move her from that committee to Diaspora and NGOs as Chairman.
Expectedly, commentators on the programme from the ordinary president (the chief anchor) to phone in, contributors, bought into Natasha’s narratives by verbally assaulting Akpabio and the Senate.
The sexual harassment angle
Apparently realising that as a Senator who took oath of office by swearing to defend the letters and spirit of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and abiding with the Senate ‘s rules, her contributions at the human rights radio on what happened on the floor of the Senate, may earn her disciplinary action, Senator Natasha, a week after, precisely on Friday, 28th February, 2025, made a more damaging story telling about Akpabio and the Senate on Arise live television programme.
She specifically alleged that Akpabio had on two different occasions, made sexual advances to her without succumbing with attendant hostilities from him, some of which were her removal as Chairman, Senate Committee on local content and seat re – allocation in the chamber from a relatively conspicuous place to an invisible corner.
Litigation against allegations .
Irked by Senator Natasha’s allegation, the wife of the President of the Senate, Mrs Ekaette Unoma Akpabio slammed N250billion suit against Natasha for psychological trauma inflicted on the family and intended reputational damage.
Muddling up issues
Despite being aware that the allegation of sexual harassment she leveled against Akpabio has been litigated against in the court of law, Senator Natasha Akpoti – Uduaghan on Tuesday, March 5, 2025, raised the same issue on the floor of the Senate through a personally signed petition from the seat she rejected on 20th of February, 2025.
However, the Senate refused to be distracted by focusing on her disorderly conduct of February 20, 2025 through a motion sponsored by Senator Yemi Adaramodu (APC Ekiti Central) which led to resolution of mandating its committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petion to investigate Natasha and report back within 24 hours.
In line with the resolution, the committee chaired by Senator Neda Imasuen (LP Edo South), sat that very day and presented report the following day (March 6, 2025), with recommendation that Senator Natasha should be suspended for six months for violating the rules of the Senate on Thursday, February 20, 2025.
The committee dismissed the petition on sexual harassment presented to the Senate by Natasha on the grounds of orders 40 and 47 of its standing rules which prevents the Senate from dabbling into any matter before the court of law and not entertain any petition personally signed by a Senator .
The IPU waterloo
Few days after her suspension for six months, Senator Natasha Akpoti – Uduaghan, attended the IPU conference in New York, United States, to present 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.
Despite being pretentious and pathetic with her wrong narrative, the leader of the Union, told her that what she said was not part of the agenda the conference was called for but even before taking any action or issuing any statement, story must be heard from the Nigerian Senate on what actually led to her suspension.
Nigerian Senate’s counter presentation
Though efforts made by the Chairman, House Committee on Women Affairs, Hon Kafila Ogbara to counter Senator Natasha ‘s wrong narrative at the auditorium of IPU conference, was not successful but she later addressed a 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 about her suspension, the Senate last week Thursday, through a motion moved by its leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (Ekiti Central) and seconded by the Deputy Minority Leader, Olalere Oyewumi (Osun West) unanimously passed vote of confidence in Senator Godswill Akpabio as its President.
Fear of arrest by Natasha
Apparently realising the futility of her action on telling and spreading wrong narratives about her suspension from the Senate, Senator Natasha at the weekend, alleged that security operatives may arrest her soon which if it comes to pass, will clearly make her IPU outing as her waterloo on unnecessary ‘aroka’, meaning, mischievous story telling.