Drama unfolded at the Senate on Wednesday when Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, walked out of a committee session following a tense exchange with Senator Patrick Ndubueze during the budget defence of the Ministry of Steel Development.
The confrontation occurred after nearly four hours of deliberations with the Minister of Steel Development, Shuaibu Audu.
Trouble began when Senator Ndubueze, who chairs the Senate Committee on Steel Development, attempted to bring the minister’s appearance to a close by striking the gavel, signalling the end of questioning. However, Akpoti-Uduaghan, who had been seeking further clarification on certain issues, objected and insisted she still had important contributions to make.
“Do you mind if I do so?” she asked as the chairman moved to conclude proceedings.
Ndubueze responded, “Distinguished, let us call it a close for the Minister.”
Clearly displeased, Akpoti-Uduaghan urged him not to shut her down.
“It’s very important, please. No, please, do not hit the gavel. I still have something to say, and I think you should respect me enough. Please don’t do that,” she said.
The chairman replied that he had accorded her respect, but the Kogi senator disagreed. Moments later, Ndubueze thanked the minister and formally ended the session.
Visibly frustrated, Akpoti-Uduaghan stood up and expressed her displeasure before walking out.
“Then that’s fine. I think you’ve disrespected me more than enough. You can’t do this to me. You’ve spoken enough to allow me to speak. I have something very vital to interface with the Minister,” she said.
She further argued that the session was meant to be interactive and stressed that opportunities to question the minister were limited.
“It doesn’t matter if I’ve spoken once or twice. This is an interactive session. And you agree that we have not met with the Minister enough. Only God knows when next we are going to meet with him as a committee,” she added.
Her walkout once again brought attention to procedural tensions within the Senate, particularly during high-stakes budget defence sessions.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only four female senators in the 10th National Assembly, is known for her outspoken stance on women’s rights and economic development issues.
This is not the first time she has found herself at the centre of controversy in the Red Chamber. In March 2025, she was suspended for six months over alleged gross misconduct and violation of Senate rules following a dispute over a reassignment of her seat during plenary. The suspension, which lasted until September 2025, included the withdrawal of her salary, allowances, and security aides.
She has also previously accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment, an allegation dismissed by the Senate’s ethics committee on procedural grounds. In February 2026, the Court of Appeal upheld the Senate’s decision to suspend her, ruling that the chamber acted within its constitutional authority.
Wednesday’s incident adds another chapter to her often dramatic engagements within the Senate, highlighting ongoing debates about procedure, decorum, and representation in Nigeria’s legislative process.
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