…As Senate refers Natasha to Ethics Committee over outburst against Akpabio
…Seating arrangement: Akpabio breached Senate Rules, should apologise to Natasha – Lawyer
The face -off between the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) over seating arrangement has taken a new dimension as the latter has filed a N100.3billion alleged defamation suit against Akpabio before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja.
This is just as the Senate has referred Natasha to its Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions for disciplinary action for engaging in verbal exchange with Akpabio, over sitting arrangement at plenary last Thursday.
In the suit filed by his lawyer, Bar Victor Giwa, Senator Natasha has alleged that the Senate President tarnished her image through a defamatory post published by his aide in social media platform, Facebook.
According to Natasha, the Senate President’s aide had in the post that was published with a title: “Is Local Content Committee of the Senate NATASHA’s BIRTHRIGHT,” maligned her.
The Kogi Central Senator also told the court that the said social media post claimed that she thought that being a lawmaker was all about pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the Senate chambers.
Aside from Akpabio who was sued in his personal capacity, Natasha also named the Senate and Mfon Patrick, who was identified as a senior legislative aide to the Senate President as co-defendants to the suit marked : CV/737/25.
The federal lawmaker further alleged that the post published against her by the Senate President’s aide was not only defamatory, provocative and disparaging, but also greatly lowered her dignity in the eyes of her colleagues and right-thinking members of the public.
Senator Natasha is therefore asking the court to issue an order compelling Akpabio and other defendants to withdraw the said defamatory words and publication made against her immediately and tender an unreserved apology to her in writing.
She added that the apology must be published in a national daily that is widely circulated within the jurisdiction of the court.
Other reliefs being sought by Natasha include: “A declaration that the words ‘it is a bottled anger by the Kogi lawmaker, who knows nothing about legislative rules. She thinks being a lawmaker is all about pancaking her face and wearing transparent outfits to the chambers,’ used and written by the 3rd defendant at the prompting of the 1st and 2nd defendants, is defamatory and intended to cause public opprobrium and disaffection towards the Claimant by members of the public.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, whether acting by themselves or through their agents, privies, assigns or associates, from further publishing or caused to be published the said defamatory words herein stated or any other similar publications about the Claimant on the social media platform or in any other manner, which is capable of defaming the Claimant.”
Natasha is further asking the court to order the defendants to pay her the sum of N100billion as general damages, as well as another N300million to cover the cost of the litigation.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the matter.
Meanwhile, the Senate has begun a probe of Senator Natasha for engaging in verbal exchange with Akpabio over sitting arrangement at plenary last Thursday.
The Senate, on Tuesday, referred the matter to its Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions, led by Senator Neda Imasuen, (LP, Edo South).
The Upper Chamber of the National Assembly also passed a vote of confidence in the Senate President, saying he was only protecting the institution of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Akpabio later mandated the committee to carry out a holistic investigation into the matter and report back in two weeks.
The Resolutions of the Senate were sequel to its consideration and adoption of a report presented by the Chairman, Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Adeyemi Adaramodu (APC, Ekiti South) on news publications and reports on the incident.
In his presentation, Adaramodu informed the Senate that the uproar which trailed the incident at plenary last Thursday, had done grave damage to the image of the Senate.
Relying on Order 1(b), Adaramodu cited an interview Natasha had with the host of Brekete Family on Human Rights Radio and TV, Ordinary President Ahmad Isah, wherein she further levelled allegations against the Senate President.
Adaramodu also decried the interview, saying that Natasha distorted the reportage of what transpired and urged the Senate to act on it and save its image in view of the weighty allegations.
In their contributions, the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), Minority Leader, Abba Moro (PDP, Ondo South); and Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (APC, Ondo South), among others, faulted the conduct of Natasha on the faithful day and recommended that the matter be referred to its appropriate organ for further investigation.
Senator Bamidele, who particularly reminded his colleagues that there was a standing committee which addressed issues, such as the one raised by the House spokesman.
He, therefore, urged them to refer the matter to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions for further legislative action.
Bamidele’s stance was endorsed by Akpabio who emphasised the importance of adhering to Senate rules, adding that he had observed that Senator Natasha has not studied her rule book and was, therefore, unfamiliar with parliamentary procedures.
He said: “I was a member of the 8th Senate, today I’m a member of the 10th Senate, I believe strongly that it’s only God that knows who will be a member of the 11th, 12th Senate but the institution remains. ”As I’m talking now, Senator Fatai Buhari knows that the rule does not allow a senator to sit anywhere, but if you need to make contribution, you must go back to your seats and this is part of maintenance of order by the presiding officer.”
The Senate later adjourned plenary till next week to enable the senators engage in a three-day retreat designed to have a comprehensive look at the Tax Reform Bills.
Seating arrangement: Akpabio breached Senate Rules, should apologise to Natasha – Lawyer
In a related development, lawyer to Senator Natasha Akpoti- Uduaghan, Bar Victor Giwa, has faulted the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over his failure to notify his client about the reallocation of her Senate seat, describing the action as a violation of the Senate’s Standing Rules.
Speaking on Arise TV over the matter, Giwa emphasized that under Order 25 of the Senate’s Standing Orders, it is the Senate President’s responsibility to ensure due process is followed in such matters.
He said, “When a Senator’s seat is reassigned, it is the duty of the Senate President to ensure that the Clerk of the Senate formally communicates such changes to the affected Senator.
“In this case, was Senator Natasha Uduaghan informed? The answer is No. This is a failure on the part of the National Assembly.
Giwa also cited a previous incident where the Senate President made a controversial remark against Senator Natasha, saying that the infamous action is uncalled for.
“Let us not forget that a few months ago, when Senator Natasha Uduaghan attempted to speak on the Senate floor, the Senate President dismissed her with the remark, ‘This is not a nightclub.’ That was an unparliamentary, derogatory statement unfit for the office of a Senate President,” he said.
According to Giwa, since that incident, Senator Uduaghan has faced continued marginalization that is unacceptable and contrary to global practice.
“The Senate President has since restricted her from participating in key international engagements where she previously represented Nigeria. Unlike her colleagues, she now funds her official duties personally, as the Senate and National Assembly have allegedly withheld her entitlements. This is nothing short of harassment.”
Giwa further clarified that Senator Natasha is not challenging the Senate President’s power to reassign seats but is demanding adherence to due process.
He said, “The standing rules explicitly state that when the Senate President reallocates a seat, the Clerk must issue a formal notice to the affected Senator. The Senate is not a secret cult where directives are given arbitrarily. A Senator should not have to walk into the chamber and be left searching for where to sit.”
Giwa further disclosed that the Senate President, as a presiding officer, is bound by the same rules as every other Senator.
He said, “The Senate President is not a monarch. His role is not governed by personal discretion but by the Senate’s standing rules. His duty is to uphold parliamentary principles, not to intimidate fellow lawmakers.”
Giwa also suggested that Senator Natasha Uduaghan’s ordeal could be linked to gender discrimination, pointing out that the Senate President had a similar confrontation with another female Senator, Ireti Kingibe.
“The Senate President’s past interactions with female Senators suggest a pattern. When Senator Ireti Kingibe attempted to speak on the Senate floor, she was similarly dismissed in an unprofessional manner. He later apologized, but the trend is not salutary. Would he have addressed a male Senator in the same way?” he questioned.
Giwa concluded by urging the Senate President to uphold the principles of fairness and due process in his leadership.
“The National Assembly is not a family gathering where submission is demanded. It is an institution governed by rules and laws, and every Senator deserves equal respect and treatment,” Giwa added.
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