Senator Kingibe Criticizes Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Over Senate Seating Dispute, Dismisses Gender Bias Claims
Senator Ireti Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has stated that her Kogi Central counterpart, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, failed to adhere to Senate seating rules, which contributed to her dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio. However, Kingibe acknowledged that before their fallout, Natasha had enjoyed more privileges than the other three female Senators in the chamber.
Speaking in an interview on Arise News on Friday afternoon, Kingibe, who also chairs the Senate Women Affairs Committee, addressed Natasha’s earlier claims on The Morning Show that her conflicts with Akpabio began after she rejected his alleged sexual advances.
Kingibe emphasized that all four female Senators share a close bond and that she considers Natasha as a daughter due to their age difference. However, she criticized her for disregarding Senate protocols, pointing out that other lawmakers have also experienced seat changes.
“I was not in the Senate that day. When I came out, my driver informed me there was an issue. As soon as I heard her name, I called her immediately, as I always do when something concerns her,” Kingibe explained. “She started talking about the seating issue but didn’t fully explain before saying she would call me back. To this day, Senator Natasha has not returned my call.”
Kingibe added that she attempted to reach Natasha multiple times before eventually contacting her husband, who informed her that she was in Singapore.
Addressing broader issues within the Senate, Kingibe acknowledged that while the institution is “not gender-friendly,” it has made progress. “It has improved significantly compared to when we first joined. When concerns are raised, the Senate President does take action to address them,” she noted.
However, Kingibe dismissed claims that Natasha was being targeted for being a woman, stating that all Senators face similar challenges. “The truth is, the Senate is not opposition-friendly rather than gender-biased. But among us four female Senators, Natasha has received the most privileges. Even my own seat has been moved four times,” she said.
Regarding the silence of the other female Senators, Kingibe clarified that their decision not to speak publicly was intentional. “Silence is golden, especially when one of us is not following the rules. As women, we did not want to publicly say anything negative about her, hoping the issue would eventually resolve itself.”
On the allegations of sexual harassment, Kingibe distanced herself, stating that she did not have a close enough relationship with Akpabio to discuss such matters. “Senator Natasha and Akpabio had a personal relationship before joining the Senate. The other three of us did not.”
Recalling a past conversation with Natasha, Kingibe said, “I once went to her house to deliver documents. She told me she was supposed to discuss something with Akpabio, and he had suggested meeting at a hotel. I told her, ‘You only meet Senators in their offices.’”
