Senate President Godswill Akpabio has finally apologised to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over his “night club” remark.
For those who don’t know, Akpabio had last week cautioned the female lawmaker at the floor of the senate, saying she was not in the “night club” and that she is not “recognised”.
This happened after the Senate President, during the Thursday plenary session said those in favour of the second reading of a bill to say ‘Aye’, while those against should say ‘Nay’.
Interestingly those that said ‘Nay’ were far more louder than those that said “Aye”, forcing the Senate President to think of his next action.
However, Akpoti-Uduaghan, explaining why she and some others were against the reading, said; “Mr President, we don’t want it to be killed. We just want a bit of modification. We don’t want the bill killed but there should be slight modification.”
Akpabio, in his reponse said; “You see Senator Natasha, in the chamber, you have to be recognized before you speak. We’re not in a nightclub.”
The remark by the Senate President had thus generated controversy on the social media as many people saw it as an attack on the female politician. Meanwhile, some concerned Nigerians had demanded that Akpabio apologise to Natasha.
Be that as it may, Akpabio, speaking on Tuesday at the senate chamber said: “We are still learning, even those of us who have been in the Senate for 16years, we are still learning.”
“But in the cause of speaking with one of my distinguished sisters on not speaking when not recognized, I made reference to the fact that we are not in a night club where people have to shout above the noise of the music.”
“The social media went agog, my wife called me that they published her number and she received around 2,000 to 3,000 calls per day.”
“I’m happy with the interest generated by Nigerians with what goes on in this chambers because we are here for their interest.”
“The communication was totally misunderstood, instead of making meaning with what we said, they went into private abuses; I don’t want to say what they did to me.”
“I will not intentionally denigrate any woman, I have a wife and four daughters and I always pray that God will lift a girl to the highest zenith in Nigeria politically and in business. So Senator Natasha I want to apologize to you if you felt offended.”
“There is nothing I will say that would not be misrepresented, I felt I should tender a public apology to you.”
