Shaibu on Natasha-Akpabio dispute: Politics is about lobbying, not gender

In his comments on the recent Senate seat dispute between Senators Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Godswill Akpabio, former Edo State Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu emphasized that seat allocation in the National Assembly is a matter of strategic lobbying rather than entitlement.
Shaibu explained during her appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday that seats and legislative positions are privileges decided by the House leadership rather than rights and shouldn’t be portrayed as a gender issue.

It’s interesting that I’m friends with Natasha. “My political leader is Senator Akpabio, who is the Senate president,” he said.

Shaibu explained the importance of lobbying to obtain preferred seating arrangements, drawing on his experience in the National Assembly and the Edo State House of Assembly.

“The leadership had the authority to assign seats and offices when I was a member of the National Assembly. You lobby for everything in the House, which is known as lobbying,” he clarified.

“It’s possible that my experience as a two-term member of the Edo State House of Assembly contributed to your having a good office when you arrive. I swiftly lobbied, looked at the types of offices that were available, and got the location I desired when I first arrived in Abuja.”

He emphasized that there might have been misconceptions because some new MPs were unaware of this procedure.

“All members, regardless of gender, are subject to the rules that govern the House,” Shaibu stated. “Offices and seats represent a privilege. This, in my opinion, is not a gender issue; rather, I believe there has been a misunderstanding. The guidelines are unambiguous and equally applicable to men and women.

When Kogi Central Senatorial District representative Akpoti-Uduaghan refused to take her designated place in the Senate chamber and contested Akpabio’s order on February 20, 2025, the issue broke out.

Since then, she has sued the Senate President for ₦100 billion in defamation and accused him of harassment.

Akpabio has responded by sending the Senate Disciplinary Committee her case.