A heated exchange ensued on Wednesday between Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi central, and Shuaibu Audu, minister of steel development.
The altercation played out during a joint sitting of the senate and house of representatives mines and steel development budget defence session.
The minister and the senator are both from Kogi state, with Audu a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Akpoti-Uduaghan belonging to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The session, chaired by Patrick Ndubueze, senator representing Imo north, focused primarily on the funding and future of the Ajaokuta Steel Company.
Akpoti-Uduaghan questioned the federal government’s commitment to reviving the steel plant, comparing its funding needs to other national projects.
“In retrospect, let’s say that the coastal road, which is 750 kilometres, has a projected cost of N15 trillion,” she said.
“And as a country, we’ve started funding that. N15 trillion is $11 billion. That is seven times what Ajaokuta steel needs. I have to reference this to let us know that if we are serious as a country, we will get the funds either which way.”
She also criticised what she described as constant rhetoric without tangible progress.
“We just meet, we talk to the media. And at the end of the day, we fold our arms and do nothing,” she said.
“And that is why three years into you being a minister, we are still trying to go back and forth and write what is the best model to move Ajaokuta Steel Company forward. Isn’t that funny?”
The Kogi senator further revisited a 2019 bilateral agreement between Nigeria and Russia, under which $1.45 billion was said to have been pledged for Ajaokuta.
She argued that government policies should not restart with every administration.
“Whether it’s a different government, there’s continuity in ministry,” she said.
‘DON’T LIE TO NIGERIANS’
Tempers flared when Akpoti-Uduaghan cautioned the minister against misleading the public regarding the agreement between Nigeria and Russia.
“We should not lie to Nigerians… and we have people that we are responsible to,” she said.
Audu immediately objected to the remark.
“We are not lying to Nigerians. I take exception to that,” the minister hit back.
Responding to concerns about the stalled Russia-backed arrangement, Audu cited international sanctions imposed on Russia.
“Just to provide clarity that the Russian government and the Russian federation is under a lot of sanctions on the international financial market,” he said.
“So the transaction would not move forward.”
He added that due diligence had been conducted on all parties involved in the proposed revival plan.
“These are not just mom and pop shops… we did due diligence. This due diligence was done all the way up to the foreign ministry before we signed the international MoU,” he said.
Attempts by Akpoti-Uduaghan to ask further questions were cut short when Ndubueze adjourned the session.
“Distinguished, let’s call it a day,” the chairman said, striking the gavel.
Akpoti-Uduaghan protested the decision.
“I think you have disrespected me more than enough,” she said.
Ndubueze replied: “I have respected you enough. When we come for the investigative hearing, you will ask more questions.”
Audu subsequently took a bow and exited the committee room.
Credit: TheCable
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