A mild drama unfolded at the Nigerian Senate on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, during plenary when former Edo State Governor and Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, confronted Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central over her attempt to revisit a matter that had already been ruled upon.
According to a video clip shared by Viable TV, the exchange occurred after Senator Natasha sought to make further comments on a clause relating to abortion, despite the Senate President having ruled the matter “stepped down in totality.”
“Mr. Senate President, please may I speak? I’m a woman and abortion has to do with women. It’s very important, sir,” Senator Natasha said.
In response, Senate President Godswill Akpabio reminded her that the issue had already been stepped down. “Let us go to the clause. This has been stepped down in totality. Yes, you are distinguished. This has been stepped down in view of the Convention. But if you have anything to add, you can say,” Akpabio stated.
Acknowledging the clarification, Senator Natasha replied: “Thank you very much, sir. Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from Kogi Central. Sir, this borders on abortion.”
However, Oshiomhole immediately interjected, raising concerns over the violation of Senate rules. “Mr. President, we have been tutored over and over that when a matter has been concluded and you have dropped the gavel, in this particular case, to allow for more conversation, if you grant the exemption to Distinguished Senator Natasha, then you must extend the same exemption to us, in which case our role should become meaningless,” he argued.
“I think the rule should be obeyed. We have said more discussion, which allow her to make any input, and I also intend to make more input. I think that is the whole essence of deferring it. To continue the debate, many of us would rather debate it here. So I think my Distinguished Sister should agree that these are the rules. And those rules have to be followed,” Oshiomhole continued.
He further warned against setting a precedent that could erode parliamentary order. “If you begin to exercise discretion of granting exemption here, you have to grant exemption there. And here, we shall have no rules. I think the rules should be firm, and they should be applied the way you have done, even when I tried to…” he said before being cut short.
In his ruling, Senate President Akpabio upheld Oshiomhole’s point of order, stating that Senator Natasha’s action was out of order “Distinguished Senator Oshiomhole, I must add that I am not in the spirit to know what the Senator wanted to say. The Senator said, I want to say something. But if I knew, I would have referred her to Rule 52, Sub 6,” Akpabio explained.
He then read from the rulebook: “Rule 52, Sub 6 says, it shall be out of order to attempt to reconsider any specific question upon which the Senator has come to a conclusion during the current session, except upon a substantive motion for rescission.”
Concluding the matter, Akpabio ruled: “So since the Senate has come to a conclusion and has stepped down this, it shall be out of order. So I rule Senator Natasha out of order.” See, More, Here>>>
Explore More News By Using The Button Above.