As the rollercoaster of the 2023 National Assembly Elections rolled into Kogi State, the long-suffering people of Kogi Central Senatorial District were unsparing in their unanimity: Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan was their choice and for good reason.
After eight disaster-laden years of the Yahaya Bello administration and almost a decade during which his senatorial zone felt no impact whatsoever from his administration, the people needed a breath of fresh air, untouched by the rot that his administration had come to represent.
The former governor had other designs, though. He fought tooth and nail in what was ultimately a losing battle as he sought to thwart the people’s choice. His deployment of some novel strategies to obtain the senatorial seat was ultimately foiled at the Court of Appeal, which sacked Abubakar Ohere, his stooge, declaring Natasha Akpoti as the winner of the election.
Her triumphant return to the senatorial zone during which she wiped away tears as a rapturous crowd greeted her shortly after her victory at the Court of Appeal was a clear sign that her constituents had finally found the light they so badly needed after years of milling about in the dark. What a bright light she has been.
Since she was sworn in, one project has followed another as she has sought to keep her promises to a zone that had long been on the backfoot despite its prodigious potential.
In November 2024, to commemorate her one year in office, she commissioned some legacy projects in the senatorial zone. These included a 1 km road network at Abdul Azeez Memorial College in Okene and the reconstruction of the college to include nine classroom blocks, four boarding houses, and 5000 digital learning devices for the students.
Her scholarship scheme which runs through the Natasha Foundation has supported 353 vulnerable students at tertiary institutions nationwide, while her empowerment programs have trained over 1,300 artisans in various fields, from renewable energy to catering, with startup grants provided for all participants.
She has also sponsored water projects that have brought potable water to many communities in Kogi Central, including a large solar-powered system that serves 300 locations with 1,800 water taps.
In the spirit of the Yuletide, she has empowered her people in all five local governments of her senatorial district. She organized a raffle draw that saw her constituents win various prizes ranging from sewing machines, grinding machines, groceries, wrappers, bowls and deep freezers.
For the first-time senator, deserving projects befit deserving people who stood by her as she fought to reclaim her mandate from the claws of electoral brigands.
Senator Akpoti is not only that rare ray of hope that has infiltrated the darkness in Kogi Central and the state as a whole, she is also a stellar example of what women can do in politics. She is showing that women can fly where men have floundered disastrously.
She is a torchbearer for what women in politics represent: hope, inclusion, stability and genuine development.
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s unprecedented representation is transforming the lives of the daughter of a medical doctor who was known for his great compassion for his people; she is just what the doctor ordered for the good people of Kogi Central.
Kene Obiezu,
keneobiezu@gmail.com
