Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of attempting to silence her by reassigning her seat to an obscure position in the red chamber.
In a telephone interview with Human Rights Radio’s Berekete TV on Friday and monitored by SaharaReporters, Akpoti-Uduaghan decried the move, calling it an effort to suppress her voice in parliamentary discussions.
She said, “The fact is that I am facing a lot of harassment. I have been going through a lot, a lot and I have been remained quiet because I didn’t want to interpreted wrongly. I didn’t want any lawsuits against me, I just wanted to be giving a chance to work. A lot of my privileges have been denied, I have been pulled out from many international activities that I was part off that is right after, you know that nightclub incident that happened last year.
“Ever since then, I have been in short there was even a United Nations event I was supposed to attend which they nominated me for but my name was struck out, that they will not promote me in any activity internationally. So every event I have been going for since last year has been self-sponsored. Whenever I feel an international event is of importance to my constituents, to Nigerian women, to Nigeria I buy my tickets myself and I fund my trips myself and I don’t speak of it.
“I have been going through a lot, so yesterday was just – changing my seat was more of a chance of silencing me or eliminating me from being seen. You know sitting arrangements is very critical like when, the nearer you seat in positions, the closer for the camera and it gives you an added advantage to be called upon to contribute to debate but the seat I was sitting on, now ordinarily I’m already sitting at the very back.
“I am sitting actually at the last seat just before the door but then I was now moved suddenly without notice, without any information, my seat was moved to the far corner, a part where the cameras don’t capture. Like if you sit over there, you won’t even be captured.”
The senator’s decision to speak out about her experiences has sparked a wider conversation about the challenges faced by women in politics and the need for greater support and protection.
Her outburst follows a heated session in the Senate chamber on Thursday when she noticed her nameplate missing from her usual seat.
The situation quickly escalated into a confrontation, with Senate Chief Whip Tahir Monguno (APC, Borno North) raising a point of order to justify the seat reassignment.
As the exchange grew more heated, Akpabio reportedly ordered the Sergeant-at-Arms to remove Akpoti-Uduaghan from the chamber, warning that she could face suspension if she refused to comply.
“Can the Sergeant-at-Arms please take her out of the Senate?” Akpabio ordered as her microphone was switched off.
Some senators attempted to de-escalate the situation, with Kogi State senators, led by Senator Isah Jibrin (APC, Kogi East), pleading for calm. Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) and others intervened to prevent further escalation.
Akpabio, reacting to the commotion, compared the incident to the South African Parliament, where opposition leader Julius Malema is frequently ordered to sit down. He also recounted how his seat had been reassigned in the 8th Senate but claimed he handled it without public outcry.
“In the 8th Senate, my seat was changed without prior notice. I voiced my displeasure, but the matter was resolved internally,” Akpabio said, sarcastically apologising “on behalf of the contractor” for the microphone issues that allowed Akpoti-Uduaghan to voice her grievances.
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