The Senate yesterday directed the Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct and Public Petitions to investigate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for allegedly violating parliamentary rules.

Akpoti-Uduaghan representing Kogi Central had verbal altercation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Thursday over a change in her seating arrangement.

The committee chaired by Neda Imaseun (LP, Edo South) was mandated to thoroughly investigate the matter and submit its recommendations within two weeks.

The Assembly made the decision following a voice vote after lawmakers revisited the controversy surrounding the altercation between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio over seat allocation.

Spokesman for the Senate Yemi Adaramodu raised a motion under Orders 1(b) and 10, condemning what he described as Akpoti-Ud – uaghan’s “extreme intransigence” on February 20.

Adaramodu, who reviewed the saga during plenary, said: “From that Thursday, the media was awash with this issue and I had to work on mending the perception of the 10th Senate.

“The Senate is not a platform for content creation but a place for lawmaking and oversight functions.” He urged the Senate leadership to enforce discipline to serve as a deterrent to future offenders.

He said: “Where there is sin, there must be a penalty.” Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele emphasised the need for the Senate to be seriously committed to its rules and internal order.

He said: “There is no one who does not have an opinion on this issue, but we are unified by our rules. “Under our watch, we will not allow this institution to be discredited beyond what we inherited. Integrity is non-negotiable.”