Akpabio: Why Senator Ireti declined to ‘defend’ Natasha — Shehu Sani

Former Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has explained why Senator Ireti Kingibe chose not to defend her colleague, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, during her clash with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory, recently criticized Akpoti-Uduaghan’s conduct during a heated exchange with Akpabio over a seating arrangement. Following the incident, Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that her troubles in the Senate began after she rejected unwanted advances from Akpabio.

Commenting on the situation, Sani suggested that Kingibe’s decision not to intervene was a strategic move to avoid compounding her political battles.

“Some people are attacking Senator Ireti for not standing up to fight in the Senate. She is already being fought at home by the FCT Minister. If she now picks another battle in the Senate, she will be at war both front and back. What will be left of her in that situation?

“You have to put yourself in her shoes to understand her predicament. There are moments you have to choose the battles to fight and the ones to defer. If Ireti fights on both sides, she will be loved by social media, but her constituents will revolt against her, saying, ‘We didn’t send you to fight; we sent you to bring something to us and help us.’

“Politics is intriguing,” Sani said in a social media post on Friday.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension from the Senate on Thursday has sparked debate, with many weighing in on the dynamics at play within the chamber.