Senate announces new date for probe proceeding against Natasha

Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions has rescheduled the disciplinary proceeding against the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Recall that on February 20, the Kogi Central lawmaker clashed with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, over seat allocation.

Akpoti-Ugudgahn rejected her assigned seat, defying Akpabio’s order and repeatedly raising a point of order despite being overruled.

The Senator representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, Yemi Adaramodu, who raised a point of order during plenary, said the incident had tarnished the Senate’s image.

Following the development, the Senate referred Akpoti-Uduaghan to the Ethics Committee for disciplinary review and asked the committee to review the incident and report to the Red Chamber.

Following the directive, the committee had scheduled the proceeding for Thursday, March 6.

However, in a letter dated Wednesday, March 5, the Clerk to the Committee, Christian Onwusonye, informed Akpoti-Uduaghan of a rescheduled public hearing to address the matter.

The letter, referenced NASS/S/10/EPP/DSNAU/2, stated that the hearing would take place at Meeting Room 120 in the New Senate Building, National Assembly, Abuja.

It also emphasised that the rescheduling did not invalidate the contents of the earlier invitation.

“Please, Distinguished, the rescheduling of the date of the Public Hearing does not invalidate the other contents of the letter earlier sent to you on the same matter as above.

“The Committee regrets any inconvenience the sudden change of date may have caused.

“Accept the assurances of the Committee’s highest esteem, please,” the letter added.