Dare Babalola
The lawmaker representing Kogi Central, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has decried her exclusion from the Senate Committee on the North Central Development Commission, alleging a sustained pattern of marginalisation within the Senate.
The controversy surrounding committee assignments has emerged amidst heightened scrutiny of the allocation process in the 10th National Assembly, where membership is widely regarded as crucial for effective legislative input, oversight functions, and representation of constituent interests.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s complaint stems from her alleged exclusion from the Senate Committee on the North Central Development Commission, a body with a mandate that directly affects states in her geopolitical region.
The senator arrived at a committee meeting prepared to participate in the proceedings, only to discover that her name was missing from the official attendance list.
Upon noticing the omission, she attempted to consult the committee clerk to ascertain the reason for her exclusion, but was informed that the clerk was in the office of Senator Titus Tartenger Zam, the committee chairman.
She subsequently proceeded to the chairman’s office for clarification.
Tension reportedly escalated during the subsequent exchange, with Akpoti-Uduaghan alleging that the chairman stated his actions were based on directives from higher authorities, without providing further details.
She said, “This incident is part of a recurring pattern of marginalisation. All senators are constitutionally equal in status, authority, and mandate.”
The Kogi Central lawmaker questioned the procedural and constitutional basis for excluding her from a committee handling matters central to the North Central geopolitical zone.
In a statement later made available to journalists in Abuja by her media aide, Mike Idoko, Akpoti-Uduaghan said 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.
Reaffirming her commitment to what she described as fairness and institutional integrity, Akpoti-Uduaghan maintained that her position was anchored on the electoral mandate given to her by the people of Kogi Central.
She pledged to continue advocating for equitable treatment whenever legislative rights are undermined.
