Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, made a dramatic return to the Senate on Wednesday, sharing a heartfelt kiss with her husband, Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan, before stepping into the chambers.
The senator arrived at the National Assembly alongside her husband as plenary resumed after a one-week recess. In a brief but affectionate moment, her husband kissed her before she proceeded to her newly assigned seat, which has been at the center of an ongoing controversy.
The seating dispute has fueled tensions in the Senate, with Akpoti-Uduaghan accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment and victimization. She alleged that Akpabio made inappropriate advances toward her and subsequently sought to malign her reputation when she refused.
The Senate President has denied the allegations, dismissing them as baseless. However, the controversy has sparked nationwide discussions about decorum and gender dynamics within Nigeria’s legislative body.
Meanwhile, protesters in support of Akpoti-Uduaghan stormed the National Assembly as the Senate Ethics Committee prepared to probe her alleged misconduct during a previous Senate session. Security operatives fired tear gas to disperse the demonstrators, but they regrouped at Unity Fountain, demanding Akpabio’s resignation over the allegations.
The protesters accused the Senate President of attempting to silence and malign women in politics, calling on President Bola Tinubu to intervene.
