By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial Zone, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, caused commotion in the Senate on Monday, February 16, when she protested her alleged exclusion from the Senate Committee on the North Central Development Commission (NCDC).
Akpoti-Uduaghan also decried what she described as a sustained pattern of marginalisation within the Senate, stressing that all lawmakers are constitutionally equal in status, authority and mandate.
The lawmaker’s anger followed her alleged omission from the membership of the Senate Committee on the NCDC, a body whose mandate directly impacts states within her geopolitical zone.
The senator arrived at a committee meeting prepared to participate in the proceedings, only to discover that her name was missing from the official attendance list.
Upon noticing the omission, Akpoti-Uduaghan sought to consult the committee clerk to determine the reason for her exclusion, but was informed that the clerk was in the office of the committee chairman, Senator Titus Tartenger Zam.
She subsequently proceeded to the chairman’s office for clarification.
As she arrived, tension reportedly flared, with Akpoti-Uduaghan alleging that the chairman indicated his actions were based on instructions from higher authorities, though no details were provided.
She said: “This incident is part of a recurring pattern of marginalisation. All senators are constitutionally equal in status, authority, and mandate.”
The Kogi Central lawmaker questioned the procedural and constitutional basis for excluding her from a committee handling matters related to the North Central geopolitical zone.
In a statement later made available to journalists in Abuja by her media aide, Mike Idoko, Akpoti-Uduaghan said tensions escalated when aides attached to the committee chairman confronted members of her media team.
She said: “Approximately six aides, including the chairman’s secretary, seized my cinematographer’s phone and engaged in verbal hostility. This is unacceptable.”
Reaffirming her commitment to what she described as fairness and institutional integrity, Akpoti-Uduaghan maintained that her position was anchored on the electoral mandate given to her by the people of Kogi Central.
She pledged to continue advocating equitable treatment whenever legislative rights are undermined.
The controversy comes amid heightened scrutiny of committee appointments and influence in the 10th National Assembly, where committee memberships are regarded as critical platforms for legislative input, oversight functions, and constituency representation.
