EXPLAINER: What’s between ‘beautiful Natasha and handsome Akpabio’?

The Senate, on Tuesday, referred the controversy surrounding Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s refusal to switch seats to its Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for disciplinary action.

The upper chamber directed the committee chaired by Neda Emasuen, the Edo South senator, to present its report in two weeks.

The resolution followed a motion sponsored by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, during the plenary.
Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan was absent from Tuesday’s plenary.

The beginning

The issue arose when Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan, last Thursday, refused to comply with a routine seat reassignment.
This practice has been implemented for various senators due to defections of opposition lawmakers to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The matter gained public attention, with some viewing it as a personal conflict between the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan.

However, during the plenary, Senate Spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu raised a point of order, specifically Orders 1 (b) and 10, to speak on the issue under privileges.

Mr Adaramodu, the senator for Ekiti South, maintained that Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan had violated the Senate standing rules with her action.