In the running battle between the Nigeria Senate and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) over her suspension, Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North) has weighed in defense of the institution, stating how he had tried to de-escalate the matter privately.<\/p>\n
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Recall the Senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months over her refusal to move to a seat allocated to her and several other misconduct during plenary.<\/p>\n
Reacting in a press statement over the weekend, Ned Nwoko revealed how he tried to prevail on his embattled colleague and her husband privately, but to no avail.<\/p>\n
\u201cI personally reached out to her during this process. I sent her messages because, as a lawyer, I know that before any judgment is passed, a person must be given an opportunity to state their case.<\/p>\n
\u201cI asked her: ‘Are you prepared to apologize so that I can speak on your behalf? Ask that you be given the opportunity to apologize.’<\/p>\n
\u201cShe responded that she did no wrong. That didn\u2019t stop me. I told her directly: You are wrong. I watched the video. I saw what happened. The report before us was not about any sexual harassment claim\u2014it was strictly about her disorderly conduct,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Senator Nwoko also expressed disappointment in her husband, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan, for not preventing the matter from becoming a full-blown crisis.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was also deeply disappointed by the reaction of her husband. I had expected him to find a way to de-escalate the matter, to prevent it from becoming a full-blown crisis.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen he sent me his statement and reaction, I told him exactly how I felt. If my wife were in such a situation, I would do everything possible to resolve the issue privately, to manage it in a way that does not cause further division.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is even more surprising because her husband has been friends with the Senate President long before he married Natasha. This could have been settled without this level of unnecessary public drama.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nwoko reiterated that the matter bothered on her misconduct against the standard rules and practice of the Senate, urging the people to separate facts from sensationalism and resist the growing trend of exploiting gender sentiments to mask disorderly conduct within the Senate.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn that day, Senator Natasha was asked to move to a new seat. Instead of complying, she refused. That, in itself, was already an issue because every other senator understands that seating changes happen regularly.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut what followed was even more concerning. She became uncontrollable, raising her voice, shouting, “I am not scared of you!” We all saw the video. That display was completely uncalled for.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt that moment, it was no longer about a seat\u2014it was about discipline, order, and respect for the institution. If every senator decided to resist a simple procedural adjustment in that manner, the Senate would be ungovernable.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter that incident, the Senate Committee on Ethics invited her for a disciplinary hearing. That is the proper procedure. The committee heard from those who were present that day, and all agreed that she had acted in an unruly manner. The report that was submitted was clear\u2014her conduct on the floor was unacceptable, and she should be suspended.\u201d<\/p>\n
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