The South-South Women Congress has strongly condemned what it described as the ‘unruly and disrespectful behavior’ of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan towards Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, during the plenary session on Thursday in Abuja.
The group has called for her apology or the imposition of sanctions in accordance with Senate rules.
In a statement issued and signed by the group’s leader, Mrs. Roli Akpomedaye, in Warri on Friday, it was stated that the senator’s disregard for the seating arrangements in the Red Chambers was disappointing and did not reflect the values of Nigerian women.
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The statement reads in part: “We the members of the South-South Women Congress (SSWC) are not comfortable with the rude and unethical behavior of Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan against our revered Senate President.
“Rules are meant to be obeyed. She cannot be above the law by flouting laid down rules of the Senate.
” In every parliament, there is always a sitting arrangement which members are expected to comply with. Why will a lawmaker be a lawbreaker to the extent that Sen. Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan was raising her voice even after she was ruled out of order by the Senate President.”
Akpomedaye further berated Natasha for not being conversant with legislative rules despite being in the Senate for over a year now.
She stated further: “She ought to know that unless the Senate President recognizes her, she cannot speak. We are not in a lawless country or a Portuguese parliament where everyone is talking. She stood up to speak even when the Senate President had hit the gavel overruling her out of order. That is most uncivilised.
“Despite being ordered to leave the red chambers when it became obvious that she was not ready to act as a civilised and respected senator, she continued without decorum.
“You cannot be talking back to the Senate President as if he is your contemporary. The Senate President is first amongst equals and as such has enormous powers in law. In fact, disobedience of the orders of the Senate President is contemptuous and punishable with imprisonment.”
The group praised the leadership qualities of Senator Akpabio, noting that he has empowered more women during his brief time as Senate President.
They called on the Senate to sanction Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for violating the privileges of the entire Senate by suspending her until she issues an apology to Senator Akpabio, the Senate, and the people of the South-South.
The group further warned that they would consider her an enemy of South-South women if she fails to apologize to Akpabio and show humility.
“We will not allow that young woman to insult our pride, the number three citizen of Nigeria and the leader of the South-South and Niger Delta,” the statement read.
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