Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Protests Alleged Exclusion From Senate Committee
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has raised fresh concerns over what she described as unfair treatment within the Senate after her alleged removal from the Senate Committee on the North Central Development Commission.
The situation reportedly unfolded when the lawmaker arrived at a committee session expecting to participate, only to discover that her name was not included on the official list of members. The development sparked immediate questions, given that the commission’s mandate directly affects states in the North Central geopolitical zone, which she represents.
In a bid to clarify the matter, Akpoti-Uduaghan was directed to the office of the committee chairman, Senator Titus Tartenger Zam of Benue North-West, where the committee clerk was said to be present. Her visit reportedly resulted in a tense exchange, with the senator alleging that the chairman hinted at acting on instructions from higher authorities, though no specifics were disclosed.
Describing the incident as part of a broader pattern, she said, “This incident is part of a recurring pattern of marginalisation. All senators are constitutionally equal in status, authority, and mandate.”
She questioned the constitutional and procedural basis for excluding her from a committee that oversees matters central to her region.
In a statement issued in Abuja by her media aide, Mike Idoko, the senator further alleged that tensions escalated when aides attached to the committee chairman confronted members of her media team.
“Approximately six aides, including the chairman’s secretary, seized my cinematographer’s phone and engaged in verbal hostility. This is unacceptable,” she said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan reaffirmed her commitment to representing the interests of her constituents, stating that her stance is rooted in the electoral mandate given to her by the people of Kogi Central. She pledged to continue advocating for fairness and equal treatment within the legislative chamber.
Fresh tension at the National Assembly as Senator Natasha Akpoti was reportedly involved in another confrøntation at the office of Senator Titus Zam👀👀
— CHUKS 🍥 (@ChuksEricE) February 16, 2026
