Night club remark: Akpabio apologises to Natasha

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has apologised to Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Senator representing Kogi Central, over comments he made last week suggesting she was speaking “like she was in a night club.”

Akpabio had told Akpoti-Uduaghan not to speak like she was in a “night club” during a Senate session.

Akpoti-Uduaghan had spoken without being recognised by the Senate president.

The Senate was in session when Akpabio said those in favour of the second reading of a bill to say ‘Aye’, while those against should say ‘Nay’.

The ‘Nay’ response came the loudest and as the Senate president contemplated his next action, Akpoti-Uduaghan rose to explain why she and some others were against the second reading of the proposal.

“Mr President, we don’t want it to be killed. We just want a bit of modification. We don’t want the bill killed but there should be slight modification.”

Responding to her, Akpabio said: “You see Senator Natasha, in the chamber, you have to be recognized before you speak. We’re not in a nightclub.”

However, Akpabio has said his “night club” remark was reported out of context.

Speaking on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday, the Senate President said: “We are still learning, even those of us who have been in the Senate for 16 years, we are still learning.

“But in the cause of speaking with one of my distinguished sisters on not speaking when not recognized, I made reference to the fact that we are not in a nightclub where people have to shout above the noise of the music.

“The social media went agog, my wife called me that they published her number and she received around 2,000 to 3,000 calls per day.

“I’m happy with the interest generated by Nigerians with what goes on in this chamber because we are here for their interest.

“The communication was totally misunderstood, instead of making meaning with what we said, they went into private abuse; I don’t want to say what they did to me.

“I will not intentionally denigrate any woman, I have a wife and four daughters and I always pray that God will lift a girl to the highest zenith in Nigeria politically and in business. So Senator Natasha I want to apologize to you if you felt offended.

“There is nothing I will say that would not be misrepresented, I felt I should tender a public apology to you.”