Senate Seating Row: How Leaders Averted New Akpabio, Natasha Faceoff

A fresh crisis between Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was narrowly averted on Tuesday’s resumption of plenary, following a tense dispute over chamber seating arrangements.

The friction developed after Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) refused to occupy her previously assigned seat, citing personal safety concerns.

Her decision was prompted by viral reports that the Senate President’s wife, Ekaette Unoma Akpabio, had visited the red chamber with an entourage during the summer legislative recess for alleged “spiritual cleansing.”

Deep-Seated Tensions and Past Suspension

The seating standoff is the latest chapter in a long-running, highly publicised feud between Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Senate leadership. The underlying animosity traces back to March 2025, when the Senate slammed a six-month suspension on Akpoti-Uduaghan.

That disciplinary action, recommended by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions, was triggered by her alleged refusal to comply with a previous seat reallocation ordered by Akpabio.

However, the dispute quickly escalated into a national scandal when Akpoti-Uduaghan publicly accused Akpabio of sexual harassment, claiming the seating changes and legislative obstructions were retaliatory.
Akpabio strongly denied the allegations.

During her hard-fought suspension—which stripped her of her salary, security details, and access to the National Assembly—Akpoti-Uduaghan dragged the Senate to court to challenge the legality of the sanction.

Though she completed the six-month term and had her office unsealed in September 2025, the bitter legal battles between both parties have continued to hover over the upper chamber.

Given this volatile history, the recent recess activities in the chamber quickly raised red flags for the Kogi lawmaker.

The Controversy Surrounding Chamber Visit

Speculation intensified during the recent recess after reports surfaced questioning why the Senate President’s spouse accessed the secure, locked legislative floor.

In response to the growing controversy, the Office of the Senate President strongly denied any spiritual motives behind the visit. A formal statement issued by Dr. Jibril Lawal Tafida, Special Adviser on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations, clarified that Mrs. Akpabio’s 50-minute visit on a Saturday was strictly administrative.

“The purpose of this visit was purely administrative and domestic in nature—specifically, to personally observe and assess certain malfunctioning equipment and facilities within the chamber,” Tafida stated. He dismissed reports of “marabouts” or spiritualists, clarifying that the delegation comprised electrical engineers, ICT technicians, and building maintenance experts inspecting facilities following complaints from lawmakers.

Tafida added that conducting the tour on a weekend was a deliberate move to avoid disrupting active legislative business.

Behind-the-Scenes Seating Standoff

Despite the official clarification, apprehensions persisted. Before the resumption of plenary, Akpoti-Uduaghan contacted the Senate Committee on Senate Services Chairman, Senator Sunday Karimi, formally requesting a relocation.

She also copied the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Monguno, regarding the matter.

Upon arriving on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan took a newly assigned aisle seat where her name tag had been relocated. However, the change immediately sparked administrative resistance.

Chamber officials indicated that the Senate President was highly displeased with the unapproved protocol shift.

The disagreement escalated into a closed intervention involving Deputy Senate President Barau Jibril and Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, who attempted to persuade Akpoti-Uduaghan to return to her original seat to preserve institutional protocol.

According to sources familiar with the exchange, Akpoti-Uduaghan firmly refused, noting that her transfer request had been properly documented and acknowledged by the Chief Whip. She reportedly warned that she would openly address her safety concerns on the chamber floor if forced to return to the previous spot.

A Tense Compromise

The standoff briefly impacted floor proceedings during a tribute session for the late former Governor of Kogi State, Ibrahim Idris. Contrary to legislative tradition, Akpoti-Uduaghan—representing the home state of the deceased—was initially bypassed to speak. Senate leadership later informed her that the Senate President declined to recognize her because she was not occupying her officially recognized seat.

To resolve the impasse and deliver her tribute, Akpoti-Uduaghan temporarily moved to an alternative vacant seat in the front row, placed her tag, and spoke. She immediately reclaimed her tag and returned to the aisle seat afterward.

While the Senate leadership successfully prevented an open shouting match on the floor, the underlying friction underscores ongoing structural and personal divisions within the upper legislative house.