Senator Yemi Adaramodu of Ekiti South has offered new information regarding the contentious Senate debate that took place on February 20, 2025, between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central.
After Akpoti-Uduaghan refused to accept a newly assigned seat, the session descended into chaos, and she was eventually barred from speaking during plenary.
Sen. Natasha’s formal petition submission on Wednesday, charging Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment, misuse of office, and willful obstruction of her legislative duties, further inflamed the matter.
Akpabio has vehemently refuted the accusations, declaring, “I do not harass women.” In the meantime, the sexual harassment allegation was rejected by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, which deemed it “dead on arrival.”
Adaramodu supported the Senate’s decision in an interview with Channels Television, stating that senators had to be seated correctly before participating in talks due to procedural requirements.
Additionally, he denied Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations of harassment and obstruction by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, highlighting the fact that her activities caused disruptions during the meeting.
According to Senator Adaramodu, “there had been a set rule since the Fourth Republic began in 1999.” Our orders also mentioned a practice known as standing regulations. Now, 26 years after Natasha joined the team, it hasn’t been trashed and altered as a result of her actions.
He went on to describe the Senate session, saying, “Let me tell you what really happened.” The presiding officer alerts the sergeant-at-arms when a seat is charged. And the senator will be informed by the sergeant-at-arms after he is informed.
“Then, our own sister-Senator arrived nearly half an hour before plenary that day,” he added. When she arrived early, she had already been told. She had never arrived so early. and roughly four senators’ seats had been switched by the time she arrived.
However, she threw that name inscription. Even before the plenary, she threw it off and began cursing and being abusive. She did not take the seat that was assigned to her after waiting for that plenary.
She sat on the previous seat, and the person who was meant to sit there was unable to find a seat, Adaramodu recounted, explaining that her refusal to move caused interruptions. She then brought up an order.
He also explained why she was not allowed to speak, saying, “And then, the chief whip, who is supposed to maintain decorum, now raised his hand that a Senator is not properly seated and until you are properly seated…you cannot make contributions either on privileges or on rights you cannot make any contribution.”
She refused to move, according to Adaramodu, who said, “Even as she was prevented from making contributions, she was still shouting then it is prerogative, it is there in our order that the presiding officer can order you out.”
Other legislators, however, stepped in and stopped Akpabio from implementing disciplinary actions.
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The Senate President, the presiding officer, was persuaded by the other senators not to ask her to leave. She was therefore allowed to spend the entire plenary session of that day sitting in the incorrect seat. When you’re not in order, you can’t ask for a point of order.
“You cannot claim you can talk from anywhere,” he said in closing, emphasizing the significance of adhering to Senate procedures. A senator might be at the market and raise their hands if that is feasible.
