Senator Natasha faces Senate ethics investigation

The Senate began an investigation into the conduct of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP Kogi – Central) during plenary last Thursday. This issue has been referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions.

During the plenary session last Thursday, Akpoti-Uduaghan made a scene by refusing to accept a new seat that had been assigned to her.

She openly defied the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, by reading a point of order despite being ruled out of order.

The Senate’s resolution to investigate followed the presentation of a report by Senator Adeyemi Adaramodu, the Chairman of the Committee on Media and Public Affairs.

Adaramodu stated that the uproar caused by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s challenges to the Senate President over her seat allocation had severely damaged the Senate’s reputation.

He mentioned that he had been visiting various media outlets to explain the Senate’s position on the matter, emphasizing that it is difficult to restore an image that has been shattered due to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s actions regarding a simple issue like seat reallocation and committee chairmanship.

Senate leaders, including Opeyemi Bamidele, Minority Leader Abba Moro, and Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, expressed concern about Akpoti-Uduaghan’s conduct that day and recommended that the issue be further investigated by the appropriate committee.

They said that her actions contravened relevant sections of the Senate Standing Orders which give the presiding office the power to allocate seats and equally maintain order and decorum within the Chambers.

They equally faulted her for taking a matter that happened within chambers and made a media issue for which the red chambers continue to receive negative publicity and image bashing.

Senators voted to approve that the issue be referred the ethics committee for investigation and to report back to the Senate in two weeks.

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