A Senate budget defence session for the Ministry of Steel Development descended into a heated confrontation on Wednesday, as tensions flared between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) and Senator Patrick Ndubueze, chairman of the committee overseeing the ministry.
The clash occurred after nearly four hours of discussions with the Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Audu, and senior officials from the ministry. As deliberations drew on, Ndubueze moved to conclude the session, noting that Akpoti-Uduaghan had already contributed extensively and that it was time to adjourn.
However, as the chairman lifted his gavel to formally end the meeting, the Kogi Central lawmaker objected, maintaining that she had additional concerns to present.
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“No, please do not interrupt. I still have something to say, and I think you should respect me enough. Please don’t do that,” she said.
Ndubueze proceeded to strike the gavel despite her protest, replying, “No, you have spoken enough, and I have respected you enough.”
Although Akpoti-Uduaghan initially responded calmly — “Mr Chairman, thank you. Then that’s fine” — she quickly escalated her objections, accusing the committee leadership of preventing her from speaking further.
“I think you have disrespected me more than enough. No, no, no. You can’t do this to me. You can’t. You have spoken enough, allow me to speak. I have something very vital to interface with the minister,” she said.
She argued that the setting was meant for open engagement, adding: “And it doesn’t matter if I’ve spoken once or twice. This is an interactive session. And you agree that we have not met with the minister enough. Only God knows when next we are going to meet with him as a committee.”
Reinforcing her stance, she continued: “It’s very important. I still have something to say, and I think you should respect me enough,” and stressed, “This is an interactive session and I have something vital to interface with the Minister.”
With neither side yielding, the standoff remained unresolved.
Akpoti-Uduaghan subsequently stood up and exited the hearing room, briefly disrupting the proceedings as the session came to an abrupt close.
