Oluwatosin Enesi
The altercation began when Senator Natasha discovered that her seat had been reassigned upon resumption of the session.
Refusing to comply with the new arrangement, she challenged the decision, sparking a heated exchange.
Tahir Monguno, Chief Whip, raised a point of order, referencing sections of the Senate rule book to justify the reassignment. He stated that the changes were necessary due to a shift in the Senate’s composition following the movement of some opposition members to the majority wing.
According to Monguno, such adjustments fall within the constitutional prerogative of the Senate President. “Failure to comply with the new seating arrangement,” Monguno warned, “could lead to penalties, including being barred from participating in Senate discussions.” Upholding Monguno’s position, Akpabio ruled in favor of the order.
However, when Senator Natasha raised her hand to speak, she was denied recognition for not addressing the chamber from her newly assigned seat.
Unrelenting, she protested loudly, directly confronting the Senate President, “I don’t care if I am silenced, I am not afraid. You have denied me my privilege.” Akpabio eventually instructed the Sergeant-at-Arms to intervene, ordering Natasha to be walked out of the chambers.
Her two colleagues from Kogi State intervened, condemning her behaviour and apologising on her behalf.
The Chairman of the Kogi Senate Caucus, Sen. Isa Jibrin, apologised to Akpabio.
“The recent movement of the senators is attributable to the defection of Sen Ned Nwoko.
“The reaction of Natasha is uncalled for, and I want to sincerely apologise to the Senate President and to the entire Senate on behalf of Sen. Natasha”, he said.
Another Kogi senator, Karimi Sunday, also advised Akpoti-Uduaghan to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, in his response, Akpabio doused the tension and appealed to senators not to escalate the issue further.
It will be recalled that in July 2024, Akpabio had his first brush with Natasha when the latter was interrupting proceedings.
Akpabio had reacted, “Senator Natasha, you cannot speak without being asked or invited to speak in the Senate. This is not a nightclub.”
Akpabio’s remarks generated controversies and immediately went viral on social media because they were perceived to be derogatory.
A week following the encounter, Akpabio had to apologise to the female lawmaker.
He stated, “I will not intentionally denigrate any woman and I always pray that God will uplift women. Distinguished Senator Natasha, I want to apologise to you.”
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