NATASHA Apoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central in the National Assembly, has offered an explanation for why she confronted the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio on the floor of the Senate on Thursday.
Speaking in an interview with Brekete Family, a human rights programme on radio, on Friday, she maintained that she did not speak out of order.
A heated exchange erupted in the Senate chamber when Senator Natasha refused to vacate her seat following a directive from Akpabio.
The confrontation began when Akpabio ordered Natasha to move to a new seat as part of a revised seating arrangement.
However, Natasha vehemently refused, sparking a loud and intense argument.
Senator Natasha has stated that she didn’t speak out of order and only acted to protect her rights as a senator. She asserted that Akpabio was about to announce her suspension when she quickly invoked a Senate rule known as Order 10.
She explained that this rule allows a Senator to claim his or she right to fair treatment if he or she feels is being unfairly targeted.
She explained that instead of suspending a senator immediately, the proper process would be to send the case to the Ethics and Privileges Committee, which acts like a panel to review the issue.
Natasha disclosed that invoking this rule was the only way to avoid being suspended on the spot. She said that if she had not spoken up at that moment, she would have been suspended from the Senate without a fair hearing.
In Natasha’s words: “I did not speak out of order. He (Akpabio) was reading my suspension and I had to invoke Order 10 which is an Order of Privilege which meant instead of suspending me, if you find me faulty in any area send me to face the Ethics and Privileges Committee, almost like a panel. That was what I did. I had to invoke that Order which was a right of every senator who felt his of her rights were being infringed upon. If I had not done that I would have been suspended on the floor so I had to say that to prevent the suspension at that point.”
Senator Natasha Akpoti stated further that she is facing constant harassment and challenges in the Senate, which have made it difficult for her to work effectively.
She said that despite everything she has gone through, she has remained silent to avoid being misunderstood or sued.
Natasha stated that many of her privileges as a senator have been taken away.
She noted that she was removed from several international activities that she was originally part of.
She also said her sitting position in the Senate was changed to silence her or push her into a position where she would not be easily seen or heard.
In Natasha’s words: “I am facing a lot of harassment. I have been going through a lot and I have remained quiet because I didn’t want to be interpreted wrongly, I didn’t want any lawsuit against me.
“I just wanted to be given a chance to work, a lot of my privileges have been denied. I have been pulled out of many international activities that I was part of.”
Eighteen-Eleven Media