One with a preemptive mind might well ask: how long will this drama continue? Personally, I believe that one cannot engage in calculated schemes without preparing for the consequences. You cannot have your cake and eat it too, nor can you assume that your actions will have no repercussions. If you must play the “game,” you should play by the rules. After all, it takes two to tango.
Why the recent alarm about plots to arrest you upon your return from the U.S., after allegedly attending the IPU Women’s Conference without proper authorization? You did not inform us of your intentions or plans from the outset, yet now you raise an alarm in the face of the obvious consequences of your unpatriotic and shameful actions. What were you thinking? Did you believe there would be no repercussions, even if your alarm is false?
Perhaps the corruption, suppression, and victimization you claim to be fighting have already been exposed by Senator Steve Karimi. On the Senate floor, he recounted how they lobbied the Senate leadership to secure privileges such as heading a key committee, membership in sensitive committees, and participation in international programs, including the IPU. Even your initial seating position, which nearly caused an issue, was resolved only after Senator Karimi was called to order by the Senate leadership. Had you worked and lobbied independently to secure these privileges, it might have spared us all this drama. You would have realized that the Senate is not a place where one can act without consequences or divert attention with trivial matters over core issues.
Let me backtrack. On February 20, 2025, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan flouted Senate rules by refusing to assume her new seating position and speaking without being recognized. She ignored Senator Peter Nwebonyi’s remarks on Arise TV, where he emphasized that her actions were irredeemable and that the Senate would refer to its standing orders to resolve the matter, as it was not personal. Had she heeded this warning—echoed by Senator Yemi Adaramodu, the Senate Spokesperson and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, during a Channels TV interview—she might have been better guided in her subsequent actions. Senator Adaramodu rightly stated that one cannot be out of order and then call for order. This was a storm in a teacup, as the Senate is a place for serious business, not content creation.
From all indications, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s subsequent actions suggest a mission of revenge or a “pull-him-down-at-all-costs” agenda, throwing caution to the wind. The matter escalated on Brekete Radio, with insinuations of oppression, suppression, and victimization, culminating in a full-scale allegation of sexual harassment on Arise TV. Her calculation seemed to be that once the Senate heard allegations of sexual harassment on social and conventional media—without a formal petition or motion—they would prioritize this over what Senator Nwebonyi described as “irredeemable” actions. She even called for the Senate President to step down so both could face the Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions.
When this strategy failed, she consolidated her approach by finally taking her new seating position. However, instead of reinforcing the apology tendered on her behalf by the Chair of the Kogi Caucus, Senator Jubrin Isah, she ignored the opportunity to apologize to the Senate. Despite entreaties from her colleagues, she submitted a self-authored petition against the Senate President, contrary to Senate rules. Though the petition was received, the Senate President was criticized for being emotional, even as colleagues sympathized with his predicament of being accused of sexual harassment. To compound the issue, she initiated an ex-parte motion to halt the investigation into corruption allegations against her by a Northern Youth Group, ignoring an invitation from the Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions.
In her relentless pursuit of content creation, she submitted another petition against the Senate President, this time authored by one of her constituents, again alleging sexual harassment. This move was particularly audacious, as she expected the Senate to set aside the committee’s report on her gross violations of Senate rules and instead uphold her petition, thereby demanding the Senate President’s resignation so both could face the committee.
Frustrated by the loss of her chairmanship of the Local Content Committee and her suspension for violating Senate rules, she stormed out of the Senate, vowing to challenge her suspension through legal means. True to her word, she pursued her content creation scheme with tenacity, submitting petitions to the Code of Conduct Bureau and filing a court case to challenge her suspension. She then allegedly smuggled herself into the IPU Women’s Conference, where she claimed she was suspended for submitting a sexual harassment petition against the Senate President, calling for international intervention. In one breath, she blackmailed the Senate; in another, she blackmailed the nation, as if Nigeria lacks internal democratic structures to address such issues. Now, sensing the gravity of her actions, she raises alarms about security agencies planning to arrest her upon her return. Is this not one drama too many and one blackmail taken too far?
After listening to the submissions of the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, and the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, it is clear that the Senate wishes to move past this issue. The Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions has been tasked with summoning all concerned parties, interrogating witnesses, reviewing evidence, and presenting recommendations to the Senate. The Senate President will not preside over these proceedings, as the Senate is eager to refocus on its constitutional responsibilities: quality lawmaking, effective oversight, and responsive representation. Meanwhile, relevant government agencies will handle the matter judiciously.
As the Senate President noted, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s decision to externalize the issue was an attempt to embarrass Nigeria on the global stage. With her petitions before the Senate, the Code of Conduct Bureau, and a case in court, she must now wait for the outcomes before considering her next move. Is this not one drama too many?
Mazi Sam Okereke
Public Affairs Analyst | Human Rights Advocate | Social Justice & Good Governance Crusader
