Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu has criticised the lawmaker representing Kogi Central senatorial district, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, over a dispute concerning her seating arrangement in the chamber.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), refused to use her reassigned seat on Thursday, citing Order 10 of the Senate Standing Rules, which protects members’ privileges.
The reassignment followed a reshuffle triggered by opposition members moving to the majority wing. She, however, resisted the relocation.
In protest, the senator accused the leadership of trying to silence her.
“I don’t care if I am silenced. I am not afraid of you. You have denied me my privilege,” she declared.
During the session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio called for security personnel to remove her from the chamber, but fellow lawmakers intervened to de-escalate the situation.
Reacting to the incident on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Adaramodu stated that the Senate was for legislative duties, not entertainment.
“What we are saying is that the National Assembly is not for content creation in entertainment. The National Assembly is for serious business,” he said.
Addressing Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims of being sidelined, Adaramodu, who represents Ekiti South, pointed out that she had been appointed chairperson of three committees, including Foreign Affairs and NGOs.
“If she is talking about being bullied or sidelined, as a first-timer, she was even appointed chairman of three committees.
“You are entitled to chair only one committee, and she is in charge of Foreign Affairs, NGOs now,” he stated.
When asked about possible disciplinary action, Adaramodu noted that her Kogi colleague, Senator Isah Jubril, had already apologized on her behalf.
“The Senate as a whole has already accepted that apology, so we are not going to revisit that,” he said.