Sen Natasha: What I Did When My Seat Was Changed Without Prior Notice In The 8th Senate – Akpabio

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, stated on Thursday that he once expressed displeasure when his seat was changed in the 8th Senate.

Akpabio said this during plenary on Thursday while reacting to a heated argument between him and the lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, over sitting arrangement at the plenary.

Recall that Naija News earlier reported that Akpoti-Uduaghan, disrupted the plenary session due to an unauthorized change of her seating arrangement.

Naija News understands that the session, overseen by Akpabio, was in progress when Chief Whip Senator, Mohammed Ali Monguno raised a point of order regarding what he described as the “improper seating position” of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Before Monguno could finish his statement, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan erupted in a loud confrontation, prompting the Sergeant-at-Arms to intervene and attempt to escort her from the chamber.

Speaking on the disturbance after the incident was resolved, Akpabio likened the situation to South Africa’s parliament, where opposition leader Julius Malema frequently faces calls to “sit down.”

Recalling a similar incident during his time in the 8th Senate, Akpabio noted that he too had protested a seat reassignment but had handled it better with a sense of decorum.

“In the 8th Senate, my seat was changed without prior notice. I voiced my displeasure, but the matter was resolved internally,” he said.

He further suggested reverting to the old microphone system to prevent senators from speaking out of turn, sarcastically apologising “on behalf of the contractor” over the development.

Following the peaceful resumption of the plenary, Senator Jibrin cited Order 42 (Matter of personal explanation) and apologised on behalf of his Kogi colleague.

On his part, Senator Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West) defended the seat reallocation process, describing Akpoti-Uduaghan’s reaction as unnecessary.

“When she came in, we extended an arm of friendship to her; we love her too much. I don’t know why she turned the place upside down,” he said, urging her to apologise.

In the end, Senator Akpabio intervened, offering Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan a soft landing.