Senate Refers Natasha To Disciplinary Committee Over Seating Arrangement Dispute

Senate Refers Natasha To Disciplinary Committee Over Seating Arrangement Dispute

The Senate has unanimously voted to refer Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for disciplinary review, following her a recent seating arrangement dispute.

The committee, chaired by Senator Neda Imaseun, has been given two weeks to report back on its findings.

The decision was reached following a voice vote after lawmakers revisited the controversy surrounding the recent altercation between Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Senate leadership over seat allocation, with lawmakers underpinning the need to uphold parliamentary rules and decorum.

In a motion raised under Order 1(b) and 10, condemning what he described as Akpoti-Uduaghan’s “extreme intransigence” during the Senate session on February 20, Senate spokesperson, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, revived the saga on the floor, stating that “from that Thursday, the media was awash with this issue and I had to work on mending the perception of the 10th Senate. The Senate is not a platform for content creation but a place for lawmaking and oversight functions.

He urged the Senate leadership to enforce discipline, warning that “Where there is sin, there must be a penalty.”

Supporting Adaramodu, the Senate leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, also weighed in, reaffirming the Senate’s commitment to its rules and internal order.

According to him, “There is no one who does not have an opinion on this issue, but we are unified by our rules. Under our watch, we will not allow this institution to be discredited beyond what we inherited. Integrity is non-negotiable.”

He dismissed claims that the dispute was rooted in gender bias or discrimination, citing examples of senior senators who had accepted seat changes without protest.

In response, the Senate President Godswill Akpabio directed the Committee on Ethics and Privileges to review the entire incident and report back to the chamber.

Akpabio recalled that the Senate rules allow members to sit anywhere, but contributions must be made from their designated seats. He suggested that unfamiliarity with Senate procedures may have contributed to the altercation.

He stated that “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.”

Citing Order 66(2) and Section 55 of Senate rules, he underscored that all senators must conduct themselves with decorum, including prohibitions on chewing gum, drinking water or being disruptive during sittings.

“The rules empower the Senate President to suspend a senator for infractions for at least 14 days. It’s not me who made the rules, it’s in the rule book.”