Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Takes Oath of Office as Senator

By Adedapo Adesanya

Mrs Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has taken over as the new senator for Kogi Central at the Nigerian Senate in Abuja.

Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan, a lawyer and member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was sworn in as senator at the plenary on Thursday, November 2.

The Senate President, Mr Godswill Akpabio, directed the Clerk of the Senate, Mr Chinedu Akubueze, to administer the oath of office to the new senator at about 11:41 a.m.

After taking the oath of office, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan had a handshake with the Senate President, who handed a copy of the Senate standing rules to her.

She, thereafter, exchanged pleasantries with other senators before she was led to her seat by a sergeant at arms.

This followed her presentation with a Certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the duly elected Senator for Kogi Central.

Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan replaced Mr Abubakar Sadiku-Ohere of the All Progressives Congress (APC). She has now become the first female Senator from the North Central State.

In September, the Kogi State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lokoja nullified the victory of Mr Ohere at the senatorial election.

Dissatisfied with the judgement, Mr Ohere approached the Court of Appeal to seek redress but the court on Tuesday upheld the judgement of the tribunal declaring Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan as the authentic winner of the 25 February senatorial election.