Senator Natasha Protests Exclusion from North Central Committee

By 𝔸bdulrazak Tomiwa

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has sparked a major row at the National Assembly by protesting her exclusion from the Senate Committee on the North Central Development Commission.

The lawmaker described her omission as a calculated attempt at marginalization within the 10th Senate.

The controversy began when the senator arrived for a committee meeting only to find her name missing from the official attendance list. Seeking answers, she confronted the committee chairman, Senator Titus Tartenger Zam, after being told the clerk was in his office.

Tensions flared during the exchange, with the senator alleging that the chairman claimed his actions followed “instructions from higher authorities.” Akpoti-Uduaghan argued that such exclusion undermines her mandate and the representation of her Kogi Central constituents.

In a sharp rebuke of the situation, the lawmaker stated, “This incident is part of a recurring pattern of marginalisation. All senators are constitutionally equal in status, authority, and mandate.” She maintained that the procedural basis for her removal was legally and constitutionally flawed.

Further drama ensued when aides to the committee chairman reportedly confronted the senator’s media team. According to a statement from her media aide, about six staff members harassed her cinematographer and seized his phone, an act she labeled as “unacceptable” hostility.

Despite the confrontation, Akpoti-Uduaghan has vowed to continue fighting for fairness and institutional integrity. She reaffirmed her commitment to advocating for her legislative rights, promising not to be intimidated by what she views as a breach of Senate parity.