Lawyer to Senator Natasha Uduaghan, Barrister Victor Giwa, has faulted the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over his failure to notify his client about the reallocation of her Senate seat, describing the action as a violation of the Senate’s Standing Rules.
Speaking on the matter, Giwa emphasised that under Order 25 of the Senate’s Standing Orders, it is the Senate president’s responsibility to ensure that due process is followed in such matters.
He said, “When a senator’s seat is reassigned, it is the duty of the Senate president to ensure that the clerk of the Senate formally communicates such changes to the affected senator.
“In this case, was Senator Uduaghan informed? The answer is No. This is a failure on the part of the National Assembly.”
Giwa also cited a previous incident where the Senate president made a controversial remark against Senator Uduaghan, saying the infamous action is uncalled for.
“Let us not forget that a few months ago, when Senator Uduaghan attempted to speak on the Senate floor, Akpabio dismissed her with the remark, ‘This is not a nightclub.’ That was an unparliamentary and derogatory statement unfit for the office of a Senate president,” he said.
According to Giwa, since that incident, Senator Uduaghan has faced continued marginalisation that is unacceptable and contrary to global practice.
“The Senate president has since restricted her from participating in key international engagements where she previously represented Nigeria. Unlike her colleagues, she now funds her official duties personally, as the Senate and National Assembly have allegedly withheld her entitlements. This is nothing short of harassment,” he added.
Giwa clarified that Uduaghan is not challenging the Senate president’s power to reassign seats but is demanding adherence to due process.
He said, “The standing rules explicitly states that when the Senate president reallocates a seat, the clerk must issue a formal notice to the affected senator. The Senate is not a secret cult where directives are given arbitrarily. A senator should not have to walk into the chamber and be left searching for where to sit.”
Giwa disclosed that the Senate president, as a presiding officer, is bound by the same rules as every other senator.
He said, “He is not a monarch. His role is not governed by personal discretion but by the Senate’s standing rules. His duty is to uphold parliamentary principles, not to intimidate fellow lawmakers.”
The counsel also suggested that Senator Uduaghan’s ordeal could be linked to gender discrimination, pointing out that the Senate president had a similar confrontation with another female Senator, Ireti Kingibe.
“His past interactions with female senators suggest a pattern. When Senator Kingibe attempted to speak on the Senate floor, she was similarly dismissed in an unprofessional manner. He later apologised, but the trend is not salutary. Would he have addressed a male senator in the same way?” he questioned.
Giwa concluded by urging the Senate president to uphold the principles of fairness and due process in his leadership.
“The National Assembly is not a family gathering where submission is demanded. It is an institution governed by rules and laws, and every senator deserves equal respect and treatment,” Giwa added.
