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From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has declared willingness to appear before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions to defend allegations of misconduct brought against her by her colleagues.
She also disclosed that she would want the proceedings of the probe panel to be broadcast live for any interested party to see.
The decision of the Senate to investigate her behaviour started with her outburst in the Senate chamber last Thursday, over the change of her seat. Reacting to the incident, the lawmaker accused the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, of trying to silence and intimidate her.
In an interview granted Human Rights Radio and TV later, she said the change of seat was a deliberate attempt by Akpabio to keep her away from being captured by cameras during plenary sittings.
Her call for live transmission of the probe panel’s hearing was done in an Instagram post yesterday. She emphasised that she would address the allegations and other issues relating to Akpabio’s leadership of the red chambers.
She was also responding to a petition filed by the Northern Youths Advocacy for Excellence (NOYAD) to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, which accused her of corruption, abuse of power and victimisation of staff within the Senate Committee on Local Content, which she chaired before her recent deployment to Diaspora and NGOS.
The NOYAD’s petition accused her of financial misappropriation, blackmail against oil and gas industry stakeholders and sidelining of the committee’s clerk, Edith Ajah, from official duties. It also claimed that she coerced oil and gas companies into providing financial contributions for her personal benefit under the pretext of supporting the committee’s work.
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The document further alleged that she created a hostile work environment within the Senate, leading to internal grievances.
Part of the petition read: “Evidence at our disposal shows that Senator Natasha has corruptly enriched and overreached herself through intimidation tactics, unapproved public outreaches and by reimbursing endorsements against regulations.
“With the benefit of hindsight, NOYAD is also alleging, with incontrovertible evidence, that Senator Uduaghan-Akpoti has, ab initio, never had any genuine support for the Local Content mandate but rather, was focused on fleecing businesses.
“She took laws into her hands by stifling the rights and privileges of the committee’s clerk, Ms. Edith Ajah, and her team, forcing the committee into a state of near dysfunctionality.”
The petitioners called on the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to conduct a thorough investigation into what they described as illegally subversive and intimidating activities and to ensure that appropriate legal and disciplinary measures were taken. But, the Kogi senator dismissed the allegations, saying, “This petition came to my notice a few hours ago. As much as I have refrained from publicly speaking on the matter and a lot of occurrences at the Senate under Senate President Akpabio, it’s about time I break my silence.”
She also challenged Arise News to set up an interview from Friday, February 28, 2025, where she promised to address all allegations against her.
“To Nigerians, please be sure to join the probe, which I shall insist would be covered live. The next few days and weeks shall be interesting but will shape the standard and quality of Nigeria’s leadership,” she added.
