- In the heart of Nigeria’s power corridors, lawmaker Natasha Akpoti unleashed a storm, fearlessly stood up to Senate President Akpabio over what she perceived as targeted grievances against her.
- The electrifying clash didn’t just rattle the Senate chambers, it sent shockwaves through social media, where celebrities like Jerry Amilo, K-Solo, and Funky Mallam fanned the flames, dissected the high-stakes drama with unfiltered takes.
The Nigerian Senate turned into a battleground on Thursday, February 20, as a fierce confrontation erupted between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing Kogi Central and the Senate leadership over a sudden change in her seating arrangement.
A now-viral video captured the tense moment after Natasha’s seat was relocated without prior notice, just as the Senate resumed under the gavel of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Refusing to bow to what she deemed an orchestrated slight, Natasha stood her ground, defied the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Ali Monguno, who raised a point of order against her.
The Kogi Central senator accused Akpabio of a calculated attempt to silence her. She alleged that since their last clash, she had been repeatedly blocked from presenting bills for a second reading.
Tensions reached a boiling point when Akpabio, in a stunning show of force, ordered armed security operatives to eject Natasha from the chamber. But Natasha, unyielding and unafraid, refused to budge, prompting other lawmakers to step in and restore a shaky calm.
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Social media has since been ablaze with reactions to the viral footage, where the raw drama and power struggle played out in real-time.
Nollywood actor Jerry Amilo, music producer K-Solo, comedian Funky Mallam, and others joined the fray, questioning what grudge Akpabio might harbor against Natasha.
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For many, this incident is part of a troubling pattern. Just last year, Akpabio stirred controversy when he dismissed Natasha with a scathing remark that likened the Senate’s decision-making process to a chaotic nightclub, a jab that still lingers.