Drama in Senate as Sen Natasha argues with committee chairman not to end budget session with minister

There was drama on Wednesday in the Nigerian Senate when the lawmaker representing Kogi Central senatorial district, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, got miffed during a meeting of the Senate Committee on Mines and Steel Development following an argument with the committee’s chairman, Patrick Ndubueze, who represents Imo North Senatorial District.

In a viral video that captured the scene, the disagreement was centred on the challenges facing the moribund Ajaokuta Steel Company which is located in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s senatorial district.

The fallout between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Ndubueze began after the Minister of Steel Development, Shuaibu Audu, had presented the ministry’s budget before the committee which lasted for about three hours.

However, towards the end of the meeting when Akpoti-Uduaghan attempted to ask questions regarding the state of the company, Ndubueze informed her that the committee had concluded its budget scrutiny with the minister and advised her to reserve her questions for another appearance.

As the Committee Chairman made to hit the gavel to signal the end of the sitting, Akpoti-Uduaghan cautioned him against hitting the gavel, saying she still had some questions which would need further clarifications from the minister, insisting on her right to speak.

“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,” the senator is heard pleading with her colleague who was insistent on ending the session.

But when Ndubueze insisted that the session should end, Akpoti-Uduaghan responded:

“I’ve given you respect. No, that’s not it.”Do you mind if I do so?” she asked.

Ndubueze replied: “Distinguished, let us call it a close for the Minister. Mr Minister, your time is up. Thank you.” He then went on to hit the gavel but the action seemed to frustrate the Kogi senator the more as she stood up gathering her stuff before remarking:

“Then that’s fine. I think you’ve disrespected me more than enough. No, you can’t do this to me. You can’t. You’ve spoken enough to allow me to speak. I have something very vital to interface with the Minister.

“And 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 stated.

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