A Two-Year Odyssey of Senator Natasha Natasha H Akpoti Uduaghan
By Salami A. Etudaiye PhD
Two years ago, on a day etched in the annals of Nigerian political history, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan took her oath as the first woman to represent Kogi Central Senatorial District in the upper legislative chamber. She walked in not as a token, but as a mother, a lawyer, and a social reformer carrying the hopes of a people long starved of authentic representation.
On the second anniversary of that seismic entrance, she does not merely commemorate survival. She orchestrates a symphony of triumph: a grand commissioning of over 10 constituency projects, mega empowerment initiatives touching thousands of women, youths, and farmers, and a cultural renaissance in Ihima, Okehi LGA, scheduled for November 2, 2025. But beneath the fanfare lies a story so raw, so redemptive, it demands to be told in full.
The Ordeal: A Season in the Wilderness
Let us rewind the tape not to glorify pain, but to honor the resilience it forged.
It began with petitions. Not one, but a deluge. Forged documents, phantom witnesses, and orchestrated media trials flooded the Senate. The goal? Declare her seat vacant. A seat won by landslide in a general election, manipulated but redeemed by the courts, and sanctified by the people. Yet, powerful interests fueled by ego, fear of her audacity, and the threat of a woman who refused to be silenced pushed for her political execution.
Then came the suspension. Six months. Not for corruption. Not for absenteeism. But for “conduct unbecoming” a phrase so elastic it could stretch to fit any dissent. She was physically ejected from the Senate chamber. Security operatives, under parliamentary privilege, asked her out while colleagues watched in stunned silence or complicit applause. Her microphone was cut. Her privileges frozen. Her voice, muted. Defamation suits followed. Her name dragged through tabloids. Her family targeted. Her businesses threatened. Whispers in the corridors of power: “She will never return.”
At the center of this storm stood Senate President Godswill Akpabio a man whose leadership style had earned him a lot of adversaries. It was under his gavel that the suspension was imposed. It was in his chamber that her seat was nearly declared vacant. It was his voice, months earlier, that many believed had sworn through action, if not words “Natasha will never sit here again.”
Not by Might, But by Mandate
But the people of Kogi Central are not pawns. They are Ebira by blood, warriors by spirit. When the Court of Appeal upheld the flaweless tribunal ruling and reinstated her victory, it was not just a legal win. It was a referendum on character.
She returned, not crawling, not compromised, but crowned.
The same red carpet that once saw her dragged out now welcomed her back with applause.
The same Senate that illegally suspended her lifted the ban unanimously, and the woman they tried to break?
She walked in carrying bills, motions, and a vision sharper than ever.
The Irony : The Invitation Read by the Former Foe, behold the divine comedy of Nigerian politics.
On October 29, 2025, during plenary, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the same man who presided over her suspension, the same leader whose allies pushed for her seat to be declared vacant stood at the podium and read aloud her elegantly crafted invitation:
“Distinguished colleagues, I have been invited by the Senator representing Kogi Central, Distinguished Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, to the commissioning of numerous constituency projects and empowerment programs in Ihima on November 2nd. She has done remarkably well. Congratulations in advance.”
The chamber erupted in applause. Senators from across divides clapped. Some laughed at the irony. Others wiped tears. Akpabio smiled genuinely, it seemed. And Natasha? She sat poised, radiant, unbowed.
THE MAN WHO ONCE WIELDED THE GAVEL AGAINST HER NOW AMPLIFIED HER GLORY TO THE NATION.
The Legacy : Projects That Speak Louder Than Politics
While her enemies plotted, Natasha built.
– Over 40 solar-powered boreholes now quench thirst in villages long forgotten.
– Agricultural empowerment: 1,000 farmers received seedlings, fertilizers, and mechanized tools.
– Healthcare Delivery: Construction of Ultra Modern Clinic in Kogi Central to be commissioned in the coming weeks.
– Sustainable Development: To empower constituents with over 100 Made In Nigeria Electric Vehicles
– Smart markets of 80 shops each in Okene and Okehi Local Government Areas.
– Model Primary and Secondary School In Osara To Ensure The Fulani’s in over 300 Rugas in the area has access to quality education.
– Over 500 Refrigerators, 500 Gas Cookers, 500 Sewing Machines and Grinding Machines To Ensure Ease Of Business For Rural Women
All fully funded through transparent constituency allocations and personal funds, no debt, no scandal, no noise.
The Lessons : A Manifesto for the Oppressed
Natasha’s journey is not just a political comeback. It is a manual for resilience:
Silence is not surrender. She spoke when gagged through press statements, community meetings, and legal briefs.
Build while they bury;
Every month of suspension, she was in Kogi drilling boreholes, empowering widows, planning for a sustainable future for her constituents.
The people are your appeal court. No judgment is final until the masses speak.
Legacy outlives vendetta. Roads will remain when gossip fades.
The Final Word:
What do you do when the system tries to erase you?
Natasha’s answer: You don’t fight the system with rage.
You outgrow it with results.
She is not celebrating two years in the Senate. She is celebrating two years of proving that a woman’s voice, backed by service, cannot be silenced.
Kogi Central rises.
Ebira women roar.
Nigeria takes note.
Somewhere, in the quiet of reflection, Senator Akpabio must wonder:
“Did I suspend a Senator… or awaken a movement?”
Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan……Two years stronger.
Unbroken.
Unbowed.
Unstoppable.
