Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) has clarified that her recent letter inviting Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other senators to attend the inauguration of her constituency projects in Kogi State was purely a gesture of courtesy and not a political move.
Addressing growing speculation surrounding the invitation, Akpoti-Uduaghan explained that the letter was both customary and procedural, describing it as a standard practice for lawmakers marking significant milestones in the National Assembly.
During Thursday’s plenary session, Senate President Akpabio read the letter, in which Akpoti-Uduaghan invited her colleagues to Kogi State for the commissioning of several constituency projects. The letter partly read: “In marking my second anniversary as a serving senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I wish to invite fellow distinguished senators to join me for the project inauguration in Kogi State.”
However, amid public interpretation of the invitation as a supposed political overture, the senator expressed displeasure, describing such claims as unwarranted. Taking to her social media pages, she wrote: “Announcement by protocol don turn to ‘Olive Branch, Reconciliation’. If I didn’t invite you all to ‘see what the Lord has done in my life’, you’d say I’m ignoring the institution. Make una no kuku come.”
She further explained that the invitation was sent through proper legislative channels for the sake of transparency and protocol. “As is customary for announcements of such nature, I wrote to the Senate through the presiding officer for the Senate President to read on the floor. I didn’t want it to seem like I was celebrating in isolation. I’m a progressive person,” she said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan noted that despite ongoing legal challenges, she continues to discharge her legislative responsibilities with diligence and adherence to procedure. She used the opportunity to reflect on her two-year journey in the Senate, recalling her six-month suspension, which she described as an “illegal suspension.”
She said: “Some months ago, there was a plan to declare my seat vacant, but God saved me. Today, we are celebrating our second year in office with the inauguration of multiple projects.”
The senator revealed that the inaugurated projects include boreholes, streetlights, transformers, police quarters, new primary and secondary schools, as well as two new markets spread across the Kogi Central Senatorial District.
She added that the series of inaugurations will culminate in a mega empowerment programme on November 2, where about 2,000 beneficiaries will receive empowerment items such as electric vehicles, deep freezers, gas cookers, sewing machines, shoemaking kits, fishery ponds, and farming tools.
“We are starting the inaugurations today in Ganaja, Lokoja, with a water project, and will proceed to Adogo and Jakuta for streetlight projects before returning to Ihima,” she stated.
Expressing her gratitude, Akpoti-Uduaghan thanked God and her constituents for their steadfast support, reiterating her commitment to service and effective representation. “Though I lost six months, I ensured my people didn’t feel deprived of the benefits of representation. I worked extra hard to bring the dividends of democracy to them. I’m grateful to God for the courage to continue serving,” she concluded.
What You Should Know
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, marked her second year in the Senate by commissioning a series of constituency projects aimed at improving infrastructure and livelihoods in her district.
Despite facing suspension and legal challenges during her tenure, she has maintained her focus on service delivery.
Her invitation to Senate President Akpabio and fellow lawmakers sparked speculation, but she emphasized it was purely a matter of courtesy and legislative protocol.
