Senator Ireti Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory, has strongly criticized her colleague, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central, for her reaction to a seating reassignment in the Senate. Akpoti-Uduaghan recently caused a stir when the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, reassigned her seat, which led to a dramatic confrontation during plenary. Akpoti-Uduaghan refused to move to the new seat, and when she raised her hand to speak, she was denied recognition for not speaking from the assigned seat. She later accused Akpabio of denying her privileges and disrupting her legislative duties.
In response to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s complaints, Kingibe appeared on Arise TV, where she expressed her frustration with her colleague’s behavior, stating that Akpoti-Uduaghan had failed to follow Senate rules. Kingibe pointed out that other female senators had remained silent on the issue, not wanting to speak negatively about Akpoti-Uduaghan but also highlighting that similar seat reassignments had affected other lawmakers, both men and women. Kingibe emphasized that the Senate is not a place to engage in petty disputes over seating arrangements, as there are more significant issues to address.
Kingibe also addressed Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims of sexual harassment by Senate President Akpabio, which Akpabio has denied. While Kingibe acknowledged that the Senate is not perfectly gender-friendly, she noted that improvements have been made over time, and that many issues faced by women in the Senate are also faced by men. She urged fellow women to adhere to the institution’s rules and not to create unnecessary drama that distracts from the Senate’s primary legislative duties.
This situation highlights the ongoing tensions within the Senate, with conflicting views on how female lawmakers are treated and the appropriate conduct in legislative procedures. What do you think about Kingibe’s stance on following Senate rules in this situation?
