A fresh controversy has erupted within Nigeria’s legislative circle after Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan publicly accused members of a Senate panel of sidelining her from a key engagement involving the North Central Development Commission (NCDC).
The Kogi Central lawmaker spoke out after videos surfaced online showing her in a tense confrontation with National Assembly staff.
The videos, which circulated widely on February 16, triggered public curiosity and speculation. In response, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan released a detailed statement explaining the events that led to the confrontation.
According to her, the disagreement stemmed from her alleged exclusion from an important NCDC budget meeting convened by the Senate Committee overseeing the Commission.
The session, chaired by Senator Titus Zam, was organized to interface with officials of the North Central Development Commission and deliberate on its proposed 2026 budget.
The meeting was expected to address funding priorities, regional development projects, and financial allocations affecting states within the North Central geopolitical zone.
However, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed she was neither informed nor invited to the gathering, despite being a senator representing Kogi Central, one of the districts within the region under the Commission’s mandate.
She said she only became aware of the meeting approximately 20 minutes before it concluded.
By the time she arrived at the National Assembly complex, she reportedly saw members of the Commission’s management team exiting the building, suggesting that deliberations had already wrapped up.
Determined to confirm the situation, she proceeded to the designated venue, Room 431, where she was allegedly told by committee staff that the meeting had ended.
The lawmaker expressed surprise that such a significant session could hold without her knowledge.
She noted that discussions surrounding the NCDC budget meeting directly impact communities within her constituency, making her absence from the deliberations particularly troubling.
When she sought clarification from committee staff, she was informed that her absence might have been due to an oversight by the committee clerk.
Unsatisfied with that explanation, she requested access to the attendance register.
According to her account, her name was not listed among senators from the North Central zone, a discovery she described as more than a simple administrative error.
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan further stated that she was not included in the Senate’s official NCDC communication platform, where notices, updates, and relevant documents are typically shared among members.
She argued that the combined omissions — lack of notification, absence from the register, and exclusion from the communication channel — pointed to what she believes was a deliberate act.
She subsequently went to the office of the committee chairman to seek further clarification.
In the presence of others, she raised concerns that excluding her from the NCDC budget meeting effectively deprived the people of Kogi Central of representation in a crucial financial discussion.
The incident has sparked debate about internal coordination within the Senate Committee and broader questions regarding transparency in legislative processes.
While some observers suggest the issue may have resulted from procedural lapses or communication breakdowns, others view it as indicative of deeper political tensions.
The North Central Development Commission was established to address infrastructure deficits, security challenges, and economic disparities in the region.
Budget deliberations are particularly critical, as they determine which projects receive funding and how resources are distributed across states.
For a serving senator whose district falls squarely within the Commission’s jurisdiction, exclusion from such deliberations carries significant implications.
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan emphasized that effective representation requires timely access to information and participation in decision-making platforms.
Political analysts note that disputes within legislative committees are not uncommon, especially during budget cycles when competing priorities and interests often surface.
However, public confrontations — especially those captured on video — tend to amplify scrutiny and raise concerns about cohesion within the National Assembly.
In her statement, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan maintained that her reaction was rooted in a desire to defend the interests of her constituents rather than to provoke conflict.
She reiterated that she was entitled to be present at discussions shaping the financial future of the region.
As of the time of this report, there has been no official statement from the Senate Committee leadership addressing her claims.
The development has nevertheless intensified conversations around accountability, inclusion, and procedural fairness within legislative institutions.
The controversy surrounding Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and the NCDC budget meeting highlights the delicate balance between internal Senate operations and public expectations of transparency.
