Natasha Akpoti demands live broadcast of her senate probe

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central, has asked for her senate probe proceedings to be broadcast live.

On February 20, the lawmaker disrupted plenary by rejecting her assigned seat, defying Senate President Godswill Akpabio’s order, and repeatedly raising a point of order despite being overruled.

On Tuesday, the upper chamber referred her to the committee on ethics, privileges, and public petitions for disciplinary review.

In a statement on her X page on Thursday, the Kogi senator said she was ready to face the panel, but would not allow the matter to be handled behind closed doors.

Akpoti-Uduaghan said she had refrained from speaking publicly on the issue and other senate developments.

“In as much as I have refrained from publicly speaking on matters and a lot of occurrences at the Senate under Senate President Akpabio, it’s about time I break my silence,” the statement reads.

“Arise TV set a date and I shall be in your studio in person. Spare no questions. And to Nigerians, please, be sure to join the probe which I shall insist would be covered live.

“The next few days and weeks shall be interesting but will shape the standard and quality of Nigeria’s leadership.”

The lawmaker added a copy of a petition to the post, while imploying Nigerians to follow the proceedings closely.

On Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan filed a N100 billion defamation suit against Akpabio.

In the suit filed at the federal capital territory (FCT) high court, Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that Akpabio and Mfon Patrick, his legislative aide, made defamatory comments against her.

The Kogi lawmaker asked the court to compel the respondents to withdraw the defamatory comments and apologise to her in a national newspaper.