Senator Titus Zam clarifies that Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is not a member of the North Central Development Commission committee in Abuja

The controversy surrounding Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claim of exclusion from a Senate committee has taken a new turn, with Senator Titus Zam, chairman of the Senate Committee on the North Central Development Commission (NCDC), stating clearly that she is not a member of the panel.

Zam, who represents Benue North-West, made the clarification in Abuja on Tuesday, directly addressing the confusion caused by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations.

The Allegation and Rising Tensions

On Monday, Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central under the PDP, expressed frustration after her name was reportedly missing from the attendance register during the committee’s budget defence meeting with the management of NCDC.

She attempted to clarify the situation by consulting the committee clerk but was told that the clerk was in the office of the committee chairman, Senator Titus Zam.

Following this, Akpoti-Uduaghan visited Zam’s office to seek further explanation.

According to her media aide, Mike Idoko, the visit escalated into a tense confrontation when six aides, including the chairman’s secretary, allegedly seized the cinematographer’s phone and engaged in verbal hostility.

Akpoti-Uduaghan described the actions as “unacceptable” and suggested that Zam’s office was acting on instructions from higher authorities, though no further details were provided.

Zam’s Firm Response

In a statement responding to the allegations, Zam emphasized that Akpoti-Uduaghan is simply not a member of the NCDC committee.

He clarified that only two senators from Kogi State—Senator Isah Jibrin, his vice-chairman, and Senator Sunday Karimi—are part of the panel.

“She’s not a member of the committee and was not invited to the budget defence meeting,” Zam said.

“After the meeting, she came several hours later to complain about not being invited.

I told her she couldn’t have been invited because she is not a member.”

Zam further explained that the committee includes only selected senators from North-Central Nigeria, mixed to ensure national representation.

For instance, Plateau State senator Pam Mwadkon is not on the committee because Diket Plang and Simon Lalong represent the zone.

Clarifying Misunderstandings and Next Steps

According to Zam, the brief argument that ensued was a result of misunderstanding.

He advised Akpoti-Uduaghan to lodge any complaints with the Senate Committee on Selection, the body responsible for assigning senators to committees.

“After a back-and-forth movement, she left my office,” he added.

This episode highlights ongoing tensions in the Senate over committee assignments and the importance of clarifying roles and membership before allegations escalate publicly.

What’s Next?

The situation may prompt Akpoti-Uduaghan to formally approach the Senate Committee on Selection to seek clarification or contest her exclusion, though there is no guarantee it would change the committee’s composition.

Meanwhile, the incident has sparked conversations about transparency in committee memberships and the need for clear communication between senators and their staff.

Summary

Senator Titus Zam, chairman of the Senate Committee on the North Central Development Commission, clarified that Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is not a member of the committee, countering her claims of exclusion from a budget defence meeting.

The incident escalated when aides reportedly confronted Akpoti-Uduaghan’s media team, resulting in seized equipment and verbal exchanges.

Zam emphasized that her visit came hours after the meeting and advised her to address any concerns to the Senate Committee on Selection.

The episode sheds light on misunderstandings around committee membership and the procedures for addressing grievances within the Nigerian Senate.