Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has been referred to the Senate’s Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for disciplinary inquiry following a disagreement over chamber seating arrangements.
Senator Neda Imaseun chairs the committee, which has two weeks to investigate the issue and report back.
The decision was made by voice vote on Tuesday, as parliamentarians rehashed the drama surrounding Akpoti-Uduaghan’s confrontation with Senate leadership over her assigned seat. Senators emphasized the necessity of maintaining parliamentary decorum and following established procedures.
Senator Yemi Adaramodu, the Senate spokesperson, raised a motion under Senate Orders 1(b) and 10 condemning Akpoti-Uduaghan’s “extreme intransigence” during the February 20 plenary session.
He noted that the issue had dominated media coverage, prompting him to work on improving public perception of the 10th Senate.
“The Senate is not a platform for content creation but a place for lawmaking and oversight functions, urging the leadership to enforce discipline.
“Where there is sin, there must be a penalty,” Adaramodu said.
Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele supported Adaramodu’s position, reaffirming the chamber’s commitment to upholding order and integrity.
“Everyone has an opinion on this issue, but we are bound by our rules. Under our watch, we will not allow this institution to be discredited beyond what we inherited. Integrity is non-negotiable,” Bamidele stated.
He denied suggestions that the dispute was motivated by gender bias, noting that other senior senators have accepted seat adjustments without protest.
In his decision, Senate President Godswill Akpabio asked the Ethics Committee to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the incident and report back to the chamber.
Akpabio emphasized that while senators can sit anywhere, they must contribute from their allotted seats.
He speculated that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s unfamiliarity with Senate processes may have contributed to the confrontation.
“The first day she was sworn in, she stood up to contribute, and I was worried if she had even read the rule book. There is nothing wrong with being vibrant, but everything wrong with disobeying procedure,” Akpabio said.
Citing Order 66(2) and Section 55 of the Senate rules, he reminded senators of the need for decorum, emphasizing that activities such as chewing gum, drinking water, or being disruptive during sittings are banned.
