The Nigerian Senate has insisted that the legislative arm of government is not a platform for content creation, rather for making laws.
The red chamber was reacting to the outburst of a lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Mrs. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, amid a heated argument with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over the sitting arrangement at the plenary.
The Kogi lawmaker, on making her way into the chamber for the business of the day on Thursday, found her nameplate missing from her usual seat.
An ensuing rowdiness threatened plenary proceedings as Akpoti-Uduaghan, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, refused to use the seat allocated to her, citing Order 10 of the Senate Standing Rules, which protects the privileges of members.
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At the height of the situation, Akpabio called on the Senate security to walk the female senator out of the chambers, but fellow lawmakers’ intervention saved the situation from degenerating.
Reacting to the development on Friday, the Senate Spokesman, Yemi Adaramodu, said there are standing rules that empower the Senate President to allocate seats; hence, the lawmakers have no permanent seats.
“The Senate President has the power to allocate seats, and he did that because some members defected to the ruling party, which prompted the seat adjustment, and there is no lawmaker that has a permanent seat because even I, myself, have had my seat changed thrice, and I did not complain,” he explained.
Yemi Adaramodu, who appeared on Channels Television, said the lawmaker’s was unnecessary because the Senate is not a place for content creation in entertainment; rather, it was simply meant to make laws.
Reacting to a claim that the Senate President Godswill Akpabio also had a similar outburst in the 7th Senate presided over by Senator Bukola Saraki, the spokesman said the issue was different from what transpired yesterday.
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“The issue was that Akpabio wanted to speak then, and the microphone of a seat allocated to him was not working; that was why he agitated, and he apologized thereafter.” He said.
Asked if the Senator Natasha would be punished over the outburst as the Senate President said appropriate action would be taken, the spokesman said the matter has been laid to rest after Natasha’s colleague from Kogi State apologized and his appeal was accepted by the lawmakers.