- Safiu Kehinde
Following last week’s outburst by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over seating arrangement, the Senate has voted to refer the Kogi lawmaker to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for disciplinary review.
Natasha, who had openly challenged the Senate President, Godswill Akapbio, over her change of seat, will now face the committee, chaired by Senator Neda Imaseun.
According to report, the Red Chamber, at its plenary sessionon Tuesday, revisited the controversy surrounding the recent altercation between Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Senate leadership.
The lawmakers harped on the need to uphold parliamentary rules and decorum in support of the motion for the disciplinary action which was raised by Senate spokesperson, Senator Yemi Adaramodu.
Citing Order 1(b) and 10, Adaramodu condemned Akpoti-Uduaghan’s action which he described as “extreme intransigence”
Adaramodu disclosed how he managed the situation which was heavily reported by the media.
“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 said.
The lawmker urged the Senate leadership to enforce discipline, warning that “Where there is sin, there must be a penalty.”
He held that the rules of the chamber must be respected while noting that everyone have their respective opinions.
Supporting Adaramodu, the Senate leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, also weighed in, reaffirming the Senate’s commitment to its rules and internal order.
“There is none of our colleagues here who does not have their own opinion whether they even speak out or not. Everybody has an opinion.
“But we are all united on one thing, our rules must be respected. That is what bind us together.” the lawmaker said.
“Under our watch, we will not allow this institution to be discredited beyond what we inherited. Integrity is non-negotiable.” he said.
The Senate leader, however, refuted claims that the dispute was rooted in gender bias or discrimination, citing examples of senior senators who had accepted seat changes without protest.
Reacting, 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.
The Senate President opined that unfamiliarity with Senate procedures may have contributed to the altercation.
“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.” he said.