Senator Natasha Alleges Marginalisation In 10th Senate Committee

Tension gripped the Senate on Monday as Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, protested what she described as the continued curtailment of her legislative rights in the 10th Senate.

The lawmaker raised the alarm following her alleged omission from the Senate Committee on the North Central Development Commission.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, who arrived at the committee meeting prepared to participate, was said to have discovered that her name was missing from the official attendance list.

Sources at the meeting disclosed that the senator immediately sought clarification from the Committee Clerk but was informed that the official was in the office of the Committee Chairman, Senator Titus Tartenger Zam.

She reportedly proceeded to the Chairman’s office, where an exchange ensued.

The Kogi Central senator later alleged that the Chairman told her his action was based on directives from unnamed higher authorities.

Expressing displeasure, Akpoti-Uduaghan described the development as part of a recurring pattern of marginalisation.

She maintained that all senators are constitutionally equal in status and mandate, questioning the basis for her exclusion from a committee whose work directly impacts the North Central geopolitical zone she represents.

The situation allegedly escalated when aides attached to the Chairman confronted members of her media team.

The senator claimed that about six aides, including the Chairman’s secretary, seized the phone of her cinematographer and engaged in verbal hostility.

She described the action as unacceptable and beneath the dignity of the Senate.

Reaffirming her commitment to fairness and institutional integrity, Akpoti-Uduaghan insisted that her protest was anchored on the mandate given to her by the people of Kogi Central.

She vowed to continue to demand equitable treatment whenever her legislative rights are undermined.

The incident has since sparked conversations within parliamentary circles, with observers calling for strict adherence to legislative procedures and transparency in the administration of committees in the 10th National Assembly.