A budget defence session in the Senate was thrown into disarray on Wednesday when Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) abruptly walked out after clashing with the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Steel Development, Senator Patrick Ndubueze, over her right to continue questioning the Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Audu.
The disagreement surfaced during an interactive meeting on the ministry’s appropriation request after almost four hours of engagement with the minister and his team.
As Ndubueze moved to wind down the session by striking the gavel, Akpoti-Uduaghan protested and asked to be allowed to speak further.
“It’s very important. I still have something to say, and I think you should respect me enough,” she told the chairman.
Ndubueze insisted the minister’s time had elapsed and proceeded to excuse him, a move that angered the Kogi lawmaker.
Rising from her seat, she accused the committee leadership of shutting her out of deliberations.
“This is an interactive session and I have something vital to interface with the Minister,” she said before walking out.
The walkout temporarily stalled the proceedings and drew attention to disagreements over the management of committee budget reviews in the upper chamber.
Akpoti-Uduaghan is one of four female senators in the 10th Senate and is known for her outspoken positions on governance and development matters.
