In an emotional interview on Friday, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, spoke candidly about the difficulties she has faced recently, both in her personal and political life. Her comments come after a heated exchange with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over a seating arrangement in the Senate on Thursday, which attracted widespread attention.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), claimed she has been going through a lot in recent months and revealed that several of her privileges have been denied. She also explained that she had been quietly enduring the challenges to avoid public backlash and legal repercussions, but felt compelled to speak out following her altercation with Akpabio.
The clash between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio occurred during a plenary session in the Senate on Thursday. The disagreement was sparked when Akpoti-Uduaghan discovered that her seat had been reassigned without her prior knowledge. Upon resuming the session, she refused to accept the new seating arrangement and openly challenged the decision, leading to a heated confrontation.
A viral video of the incident showed the senator firmly telling the Senate President, “I’m not afraid of you,” in response to Akpabio’s attempts to calm the situation. The incident was widely discussed on social media and in news outlets, with many questioning the cause of the altercation and the manner in which it was handled.
In a bid to clarify her actions, Akpoti-Uduaghan later explained during her interview on the Brekete Family radio and television program, hosted by Ahmed Isah, also known as the “Ordinary President,” that she did not speak out of order. She said she had invoked “Order 10,” which is a privilege that allows senators to defend their rights or privileges in the chamber. According to her, this was the appropriate response to being unfairly treated in the seating arrangement.
In the interview, Akpoti-Uduaghan disclosed that her personal and professional life had been marked by several setbacks since a controversial incident involving her at a nightclub last year. She claimed that following the incident, many of her privileges as a senator were revoked. She explained that she had been excluded from international events, including a United Nations event she was nominated for, with her name being struck out of the list.
“I have been going through a lot and I have remained quiet because I didn’t want to be interpreted wrongly. I didn’t want any lawsuit against me. I just wanted to be given the chance to work,” Akpoti-Uduaghan said during her interview. She added that all the international events she had attended since last year had been self-sponsored, as she was no longer invited or sponsored to attend such events.
The senator’s revelation has drawn mixed reactions from the public, with some expressing sympathy for her challenges, while others question the extent of her claims. Nonetheless, it is clear that she feels sidelined and believes that her position as a senator has been undermined by political forces beyond her control.
In the aftermath of the rowdy scene in the Senate on Thursday, Nigerian senators from Kogi State issued an apology to Senate President Akpabio for the disruption caused by the altercation. The apology was seen as an effort to defuse any further tension within the Senate.
However, the apology has not been enough to quell the underlying tensions between Akpoti-Uduaghan and some of her colleagues. Her clash with the Senate President has highlighted the growing political divisions in the Senate, especially between opposition lawmakers and those aligned with the ruling party.
