Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory, has responded to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations regarding the recent seating reassignment in the Senate.
The controversy began when Senate President Godswill Akpabio reallocated Senator Natasha’s seat, sparking a heated exchange during plenary.
Senator Natasha, who represents Kogi Central, refused to move to her newly assigned seat and raised her hand to speak. However, she was denied recognition by Akpabio because she was not seated in the designated spot. This led to a vocal protest from Natasha, who accused the Senate President of denying her privileges.
Following the incident, the Senate unanimously voted to refer Natasha to the Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions for disciplinary review.
During an appearance on Arise TV on Friday, February 28, 2025, Senator Natasha claimed that the seating reassignment was part of a ploy to frustrate her legislative duties. She also accused Senate President Akpabio of sexual harassment, alleging that he had, on two occasions, demanded an intimate relationship from her.
Reacting to Natasha’s claims, Senator Ireti Kingibe, also appearing on Arise TV, dismissed the allegations regarding the seating arrangement. She stated that Natasha’s refusal to comply with the Senate’s rules was the root of the issue.
Kingibe said, “Silence is golden, especially when one of us is not following the rules, and as women, we did not want to come out publicly to say anything negative about her, and we were hoping all of this will blow over, as a lot of things do.”
The Labour Party Senator emphasized that the Senate is not a place for disputes over trivial matters like seating arrangements. She revealed that Natasha was not the only lawmaker affected by the reassignment, noting that other senators, including men, had also been moved.
Kingibe said, “This is about the rules of the Senate. So if I can point out that other women have been moved several times on that day, I wasn’t there, but I gathered that several men were also moved.”
As the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Women Affairs, Kingibe acknowledged that the Senate is not entirely gender-friendly but noted that the situation has improved over time.
She stated, “The truth of the matter is, yes, the Senate is not gender friendly, but it has been improving much better than when we first entered the Senate, I must say. And the truth of the matter is, when we make a fuss and draw the attention of the Senate president, he corrects it. Truly, the Senate can do better than he’s doing, but there’s hardly anything that’s been done to us that’s not done to other men.”
Kingibe also appealed to women to adhere to the rules of the institutions they choose to join. She said, “I want women to know we have to follow the rules of the institution we choose to enter, and that is mostly the point of this visit here.”
The exchange between the two senators highlights the ongoing tensions in the Senate over procedural compliance and gender dynamics. While Natasha’s allegations of sexual harassment remain a serious issue requiring investigation, Kingibe’s comments underscore the importance of adhering to Senate rules and maintaining decorum in legislative proceedings.
