From David Onuoja, Abuja
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has apologised to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Content, over a contentious comment he made during the last plenary.
Recall that, during the last Thursday plenary, the Senate President called for a vote on the second reading of a bill, which many Senators were opposed to.
However, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan rose to clarify that she and others were not opposed to the bill but sought slight modifications.
“Mr. President, we don’t want the bill killed but there should be slight modification,” she averred.
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In his response, Akpabio stated, “You see Senator Natasha, in the chamber, you have to be recognised before you speak. We are not in a nightclub.”
The comment quickly stirred controversy, particularly in the media space with many viewing it as an insult.
In a swift reaction on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday, Akpabio clarified that his remark was misunderstood.
“We are still learning, even those of us who have been in the Senate for 16 years, we are still learning.
“In the course of speaking with one of my distinguished sisters who spoke when not recognised, I made reference to the fact that we are not in a night club where people have to shout above the noise of the music. This was misunderstood,” he said.
Also, addressing the social media frenzy and the impact on his family, the Senate President stated: “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.”
He expressed gratitude for the public’s interest in Senate proceedings, emphasising that they serve the people’s interests.
“The communication was totally misunderstood. Instead of making meaning of what we said, they went into private abuses; I don’t want to say what they did to me,” Akpabio said.
Reaffirming his respect for women, Akpabio added: “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 apologise 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,” he concluded.
