Senator Yemi Adaramodu, representing Ekiti South, has provided fresh insight into the heated confrontation in the Senate on February 20, 2025, involving Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central.
The session turned chaotic after Akpoti-Uduaghan refused to take a newly assigned seat, leading to a dispute that ultimately prevented her from speaking during plenary.
The situation escalated further when Senator Natasha formally submitted a petition on Wednesday, accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment, abuse of office, and deliberate obstruction of her legislative duties.
Akpabio has strongly denied the allegations, stating, “I do not harass women.” Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions dismissed the sexual harassment claim, declaring it “dead on arrival.”
Speaking on Channels Television, Adaramodu defended the Senate’s decision, explaining that procedural rules required senators to be properly seated before contributing to discussions.
He also dismissed Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims of harassment and obstruction by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, emphasizing that her actions disrupted the session.
Senator Adaramodu explained, “The Fourth Republic started in 1999 and there had been a set rule. There had also been a practice stated in our orders, that is standing rules. Now it is not 26 years after Natasha came on board that it would be rubbished and changed because of her.”
Detailing the events of the Senate session, he said, “Let me tell you what really happened. When a seat is charged, the sergeant-at-arms is notified by the presiding officer. And once the sergeant-at-arms is notified, he will notify the senator.”
He further elaborated, “Then our own sister-Senator came almost 30 minutes before plenary that day. She had already been informed when she came earlier. She had never been coming as early as that…and when she got there, there were about 4 Senators whose seats were changed.
“But she flung that inscription of her name. She flung it off and started raining curses and abuses even before the plenary. So she already waited for that plenary and then she did not move to the seat allocated to her.”
Adaramodu explained that her refusal to move caused disruptions, saying, “She sat on the previous seat and the person that was supposed to sit there could not find a seat to sit. And then she raised a point of order.”
He also clarified why she was prevented from speaking, stating, “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.”
Despite being asked to relocate, Adaramodu claimed she continued to resist, “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.”
However, other lawmakers intervened, preventing Akpabio from enforcing disciplinary measures.
“But the other Senators prevailed on the presiding officer, the Senate President, not to order her out. So, she was given the opportunity to even sit on the wrong seat throughout the plenary of that day. You cannot ask for a point of order when you’re not in order.”
He concluded by stressing the importance of maintaining Senate protocols, “You cannot say you can talk from anywhere. If that is possible, it means that a Senator could be at the market and be raising his or her hands.”
