Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Addresses Viral Clash with National Assembly Staff
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has publicly responded after videos of her confronting members of the National Assembly staff circulated widely online. The incident, which occurred earlier today on February 16, 2026, has sparked significant attention and debate.
Exclusion from Critical Senate Committee Meeting
In a detailed statement posted on her Instagram page, Senator Natasha revealed that she was conspicuously excluded from a Senate Committee meeting focused on the North Central Development Commission (NCDC). This meeting was crucial as it involved lawmakers interfacing with the Commission to deliberate on its 2026 budget proposal.
The Senator explained that she only learned about the meeting a mere twenty minutes before it was scheduled to conclude. As a serving senator representing the North Central zone, she emphasized that her participation was essential for representing her constituents' interests.
Allegations of Deliberate Omission
Senator Natasha stated that she was neither formally notified of the meeting nor included in the Senate's NCDC communication platform, where official updates and information are typically shared among members. Upon arriving at the National Assembly, she found that the NCDC management team was already exiting the Senate Complex.
She then proceeded to Room 431 in an attempt to join the remaining part of the session but was informed by four committee staff members that the meeting had already ended. When she questioned why she was excluded, she was told it might have been an "oversight" by the committee clerk.
However, upon requesting the attendance register, Senator Natasha discovered that her name was not even listed among the senators from the North Central zone. She asserted that this was not a simple mistake but a deliberate omission of record aimed at sidelining her and, by extension, the people of Kogi Central from a critical budgetary process affecting their district.
Confrontation and Demands for Clarification
In response to this exclusion, Senator Natasha went to the Chairman's office to seek clarification. In the presence of three other individuals, she confronted what she described as a deliberate attempt to marginalize her. She raised several key concerns in her statement:
- She was not notified about the meeting.
- She did not receive any invitation.
- Her name was excluded from the committee register.
- She was not added to the Senate's NCDC communication platform for official information sharing.
This incident highlights ongoing tensions within the National Assembly and raises questions about transparency and inclusion in legislative processes. Senator Natasha's statement underscores her commitment to advocating for her constituents and ensuring their voices are heard in critical decisions.
