The Senate has reaffirmed that its activities are guided strictly by rules and procedures that must be obeyed. Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, made this known during a one-day capacity-building workshop in Abuja.
Speaking on the recent controversy involving Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Adaramodu stressed that the upper chamber was not a banana republic.
“The National Assembly is not a banana republic. We operate under rules that must be obeyed. It’s important that Nigerians understand this, and you, the journalists covering the Senate, have a key role to play,” he said.
The senator urged journalists covering parliamentary activities to educate Nigerians on the Senate’s standing rules to prevent misconceptions, particularly when disciplinary actions are taken during plenary.
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Adaramodu explained that Section 6(1) of the Senate Standing Rules empowers the Senate President to allocate and reallocate seats to senators as necessary. He noted that misunderstandings, such as the one involving Akpoti-Uduaghan, often arise from ignorance or disregard for these rules.
He said:
“If a senator is assigned seat number 10 and chooses to sit on seat number 13, that senator will not be recognised by the Senate President. If the person insists on being recognised, trouble will certainly ensue.”
The lawmaker added that seat assignments are not permanent and can be adjusted at the discretion of the Senate President, stressing that obedience to legislative procedures is critical to maintaining order and credibility in the National Assembly.
