Senate: Natasha Akpoti sworn in as Kogi Central senator

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Senate has sworn in Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the senator representing Kogi Central senatorial district.
Natasha is now the first female Senator from Kogi State and the fourth female Senator in the 10th Upper Legislative Chamber.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio directed the clerk of the senate to administer the oath to her on the floor of the upper legislative chamber yesterday.
This followed her presentation with the Certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the duly elected Senator for Kogi Central.
The Court of Appeal had on Tuesday affirmed Akpoti-Uduaghan as the winner of the Kogi central senatorial district election.
The election petition tribunal had on September 6, affirmed Natasha as the duly elected Senator as it nullified Ohere’s victory citing inflated polling results in favor of Ohere in some units and deliberate undercounting against Akpoti-Uduaghan. Senator Barau, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media & Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, described the judgement as a victory for democracy, urging the appellants to join hands with President Tinubu to address the challenges facing the country.
The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed the appeals by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and that of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi.
While urging the appellants to accept the ruling by the apex court in good faith, he commended the justices of the court for upholding the verdict of the electorate who voted for President Tinubu during the presidential election.
“The legal battle is over with today’s judgement of the Supreme Court, affirming the victory of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the February 25, 2023, presidential election. Nigerians have won, democracy has won, and the country will be better for it.
“I commend the justices of the Supreme Court for upholding the verdict of the Nigerian electorate who voted for President Tinubu during the presidential election. It is now time for all to team up with the president to actualise his lofty programmes and policies for the development of our country as captured in the Renewed Hope Agenda,’’ he said.
He reiterated the commitment of the National Assembly to come up with legislation to support the various initiatives of the executive for the revival of the economy, attainment of sustainable peace, unity and development of Nigeria as a whole.