Constituents of suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in Kogi Central have passed a vote of no confidence in her, accusing her of using sexual harassment claims as a regular tactic and labeling her a “serial blackmailer.”
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Ebira Youth Leaders Forum, representing the indigenes of Kogi Central, expressed their disappointment and disgust with Akpoti-Uduaghan’s conduct, stating that she has failed to represent the values of the Ebira people. “We are disgusted and disappointed that our representative has refused to be a good ambassador of Ebira people, projecting good upbringing that reflects in the conduct of Ebira people,” the group said.
The forum, through its General Secretary, Dr. Adoza Dahiru, also questioned the timing of the sexual harassment allegations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, suggesting that the allegations only surfaced after Akpoti-Uduaghan’s removal from the Senate Committee on Local Content and the subsequent internal rearrangement that moved her seat. The group accused her of attempting to tarnish Akpabio’s reputation and the office of the Senate President for ulterior motives.
“The events panning out in the Senate in recent times, with our own representative at the centre stage, are very disgraceful and generally cast we the cultured and mannered people of Ebira ethnic nationality in a bad light,” the statement read.
The group further criticized Akpoti-Uduaghan for not focusing on her legislative duties. “This is a woman who just through the intervention of the judiciary found herself in the Senate, but instead of drawing an agenda rooted in effective representation of the people, she has found a trade in demeaning the revered office of the number three citizen of our dear country,” the EYLF stated.
The group pointed out that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s previous sexual harassment allegations against prominent figures, including former presidential aide Reno Omokri, former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye, and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, have all ended up unproven. They condemned her actions, saying, “It is on record that her series of sexual harassment blackmail against top figures in the past have all ended up unproven.”
The EBIRA Youth Leaders Forum also expressed dissatisfaction with her representation, stating, “We hereby pass a vote of no confidence on her for not only projecting us in a bad light but for performing extremely poorly as a representative of the people.” The group highlighted the only notable projects in her constituency, such as solar street lighting and the establishment of five Mini Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plants in Ajaokuta Local Government, as initiatives from President Bola Tinubu’s administration, rather than Akpoti-Uduaghan’s own efforts.
The group concluded by stating that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s conduct is one of the main reasons female Senators have distanced themselves from her. They urged her to focus on her suspension and use the time to study Senate rules, adding that the people of Kogi Central will decide her political future once her suspension is complete.
