The lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, failed to appear before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions on Wednesday as it convened to examine her conduct during last week’s plenary session.
Her absence came after a heated exchange with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over seat allocation, an issue that had sparked controversy on the Senate floor.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had accused Akpabio of deliberately humiliating her and obstructing her legislative motions and bills, further escalating tensions.
The dispute arose after the female senator refused to accept a reassigned seat in the chamber, a decision that led Akpabio to deny her the opportunity to speak during the session.
In response, the Senate referred the matter to its Ethics Committee for review.
At the hearing, the Committee Chairman, Senator Neda Imasuen (PDP, Edo South), expressed disappointment over her absence.
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“Senator Natasha was duly invited to this meeting. We hope she will join us as we continue,” he stated.
Meanwhile, supporters of both Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan have taken their standoff beyond the Senate floor, with rival factions gathering at the National Assembly to voice their support.
As of the time of filing this report, the Kogi lawmaker had yet to arrive for the hearing.