A group, the Niger Delta Women Coalition, has rose in defence of the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio over the Thursday outburst launched by Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central in the senate over allocation of seats.
According to the NDWC, the Senate President acted in line with the Senate rules by refusing to hear Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan on point of order from the old seat as senators are not entitled to be heard if they’re not speaking from their allocated seat pursuant to the Rules.
The Niger Delta Women Coalition led by the President, Mrs Ebiere Thompson and Secetary, Barr Inemesit Ukpong, the outburst of Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan against the Senate President,Senator Godswill Akpabio is a sacrilege and enough is enough.
The NDWC in a statement issued via electronic mail states that “For the second time in less than a year, we have watched with shock as Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central in the Senate, has disrespected the person of the President of the Senate, His Excellency, Chief Godswill Akpabio and the office he occupies.”
“According to reports, ‘Mrs Natasha Akpoti was given a new seat by the Chief Whip who has the routine work of allocating seats to senators whenever occasion demands. With the recent cross carpeting of two Senators from the left wing to the right wing, the Chief Whip decided to reshuffle seats and this affected Mrs Akpoti’s seat alongside several other senators. Only Mrs Akpoti however refused to vacate her former seat and this forced the Chief Whip to bring her refusal to the floor.”
“The Chief Whip then raised a point of order citing several provisions of the Senate Rule that empower him to arrange seats whenever necessary and the rule that senators are not entitled to be heard if they’re not speaking from their allocated seat pursuant to the Rules.”
” The Chief Whip’s point of order was adopted and ruled favorably by the Senate President. When Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan sought to intervene, the President ruled that she couldn’t speak from her old seat until she resumed her allocated seat.’”
“Rather than act with respect and decorum by moving to her seat, she threw caution to the dogs and ranted against Senator Akpabio who was presiding at the session. Attempts by other senators to calm her down were futile.”
” Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan created a scene which brought the hallowed Senate of the Federal Republic to disrepute. It looked more like a scene from Nyanya market. The fact that the Senate is a place of honour where members conduct the sacred affairs of state with dignity did not resonate with her.”
“This is the second time she has brought the Senate to disrepute. The first time was last year when she spoke without being recognised by the presiding officer. When the Senate President who was presiding told her to follow the rules because they were ‘not in the club’, she blew a fuse.”
“We are moved to react this time for some reasons: One, the show of disrespect that Senator Akpoti Uduaghan exhibited at the plenary yesterday shows that being disrespectful and behaving without decorum is in her character. It means that the first act of last year was not a one off behaviour.”
” Two, we expect that Senator Akpoti who is a wife of the Niger Delta should exhibit certain virtues and values like respect for elders, endemic to the region. Three, we expect that anyone who has risen to the office of a senator of the federal republic should observe a minimum standard of decency.”
” Four, His Excellency, Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President, is a man of honour and a distinguished statesman who deserves the respect of any right-thinking Nigerian, irrespective of gender, age and political affiliation.”
“We have it on good authority that her latest misbehaviour is a reaction to her removal as Chairman of the Local Content Committee. This is most unfortunate as senate committee chairmanships are not birth rights but a call to serve the country.”
“We want to put it on record that we find Senator Akpoti Uduaghan’s behaviour abhorrent. She is not the only female member of the Senate. Other distinguished women are there but they have conducted themselves with decorum. Rather than make herself out into a nuisance, she should follow good example.”
“Senator Akpoti Uduaghan is lucky that she is not representing a senatorial district in the Niger Delta. Were that the case, we, the women of this region, would have initiated a recall to remove her from the Senate so that she would no longer be a reproach to us. We call on her constituents to call her to order.”
“We believe it is necessary to issue this warning that the women of the Niger Delta region will no longer tolerate any behaviour on her part, which brings the women of the region into disrepute. The region has a history of producing great women in politics. She should learn from them.”
“Senator Akpoti Udughan should purge herself of this reproach by apologising unreservedly to Senator Akpabio. Apart from being the President of the Senate, Senator Akpabio is also the political leader of the Niger Delta. We would not tolerate nor permit any person, no matter how misguided, to disrespect his person or his office. Enough of this sacrilege.”