‘You’ve Disrespected Me Enough’: Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Senate Chair Clash at Steel Budget Defence
The Senate budget defense session for the Ministry of Steel Development descended into a fiery standoff on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) locked horns with Committee Chairman Senator Patrick Ndubueze, accusing him of stifling her voice during critical questioning over the fate of the Ajaokuta Steel Company.
The Breaking Point: “Allow Me to Speak”
After nearly four hours of deliberations, the atmosphere turned toxic when Senator Ndubueze attempted to wrap up the session, ruling that Akpoti-Uduaghan had “spoken enough.” The Kogi Senator, representing the host community of the steel giant, reacted with visible outrage.
“I think you have disrespected me more than enough… You can’t do this to me. allow me to speak. I have something very vital to interface with the minister,” she fired back before the Chairman hit the gavel to end the exchange.
The Core of the Conflict: MOUs and “Recycled Speeches”
Beyond the personal friction, the session exposed deep-seated frustrations regarding the ministry’s transparency. Akpoti-Uduaghan’s primary grievances included:
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The Missing MOUs: She accused the ministry of withholding copies of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with private partners, forcing her to rely on “third-party conversations” for due diligence.
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Lack of Engagement: Despite being the host community representative, she claimed the Minister had failed to grant her a formal audience since her entry into the Senate.
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Stagnant Progress: She dismissed the Minister’s presentation as “fantastic speech” without tangible results. “Three years into you being a minister, we are still trying to go back and forth on what is the best model to move Ajaokuta. Isn’t that funny?” she queried.
Sen. Natasha H Akpoti
The Financials: 2024 Budget Performance
Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Audu, presented a ₦24.14 billion budget for 2024, but the numbers revealed a significant lag in project execution. While personnel and overhead costs were fully funded, capital expenditure releases stood at just 48.4% as of December 31, 2025.
The Way Forward: Domestic over Foreign?
In a rare moment of committee alignment, Senator Isah Jibrin urged the ministry to stop waiting for foreign investors—who are often deterred by security concerns—and instead approach the Debt Management Office (DMO) for local financing to activate Ajaokuta’s 20+ production lines in phases.
The committee has resolved to hold a dedicated investigative hearing to untangle the web of “unresolved issues” and pending agreements that continue to stall Nigeria’s industrial backbone.
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