Senator Natasha and the struggle for Kogi LNG project: A battle against political manipulation and regional bias for middle belters

A Bold Vision for Kogi State’s Economic Growth

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, recently announced a transformative plan to establish five mini Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plants in Ajaokuta, facilitated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL). This project, set to commence in early 2025, is positioned as the largest concentration of such energy investments within a single senatorial district in Nigeria.

This initiative is not just about energy; it represents a rare economic breakthrough for Kogi State. The LNG plants are expected to:

Boost industrialization and attract foreign investment.

Create thousands of jobs for Kogi residents.

Provide an alternative clean energy source, reducing dependence on crude oil and coal.

Enhance Nigeria’s energy security and GDP contribution.

However, despite the clear economic benefits, the project is facing stiff opposition from unexpected quarters—one of them being the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

Political Sabotage: The Struggle to Keep Kogi Down

Instead of receiving widespread support, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has faced roadblocks from political forces that seem determined to ensure Kogi State does not benefit from such a game-changing project. The main antagonist in this story is Senator Akpabio, whose actions suggest a deliberate attempt to prevent the LNG plants from becoming a reality in Kogi State.

Reliable sources indicate that Akpabio and his allies within the Senate are reluctant to support the project because they do not want such a major development to be located in the North. This has led to a subtle yet vicious attempt to frustrate Akpoti-Uduaghan and remove her influence over the project.

Tactics Used Against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan:

1. Stripping Her of Key Senate Committee Positions
   To limit her influence, Senator Natasha was systematically removed from critical Senate committees that could have facilitated the progress of the LNG project. The goal was clear—to ensure that the project does not see the light of day in Kogi State.
2. Distraction Politics: Sexual Harassment and Character Assassination
   Instead of focusing on key developmental issues like infrastructure, security, and economic growth, the Senate chamber has turned into a battleground for scandal and distraction. Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has been targeted with allegations and discussions unrelated to governance, including sexual harassment claims and calls for her recall.

These tactics are not accidental but are carefully orchestrated to divert attention from the real issue—the LNG project. While her political opponents push these distractions, Kogi State is left waiting for a project that could redefine its economy.

3. A Deliberate Neglect of Kogi’s Industrial Potential
   The opposition to the LNG project in Kogi is not a new phenomenon. Since Nigeria’s amalgamation in 1914, Kogi State has suffered from an identity crisis imposed by both the North and the South.

The South sees Kogi as part of the North and refuses to prioritize development projects in the state.

The North, on the other hand, sees Kogi as being too close to the South and therefore not a priority for major federal investments.

This unfortunate reality has led to the systematic neglect of major federal government projects in the state. The Ajaokuta Steel Company is a perfect example.

Established to be Nigeria’s largest industrial hub, it has been deliberately abandoned for decades.

Political forces have ensured that no government fully revives it, denying the country the industrial revolution it desperately needs.

The LNG project now faces the same fate—if Akpoti-Uduaghan does not fight back with full force.

The Bigger Picture: Gas Pipelines and the War for Energy Control

Nigeria has embarked on two ambitious gas pipeline projects that are supposed to transform Africa’s energy landscape:

1. Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline (TSGP): A 4,000-kilometer pipeline connecting Nigeria’s Warri region to Algeria and then to Europe.
2. Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP): A 5,600-kilometer pipeline running along the West African coast and reaching Morocco for eventual export to Europe.

Both projects, however, are facing delays due to political power struggles, security risks, and financial constraints. The same forces sabotaging the Kogi LNG project are also stalling Nigeria’s role in the global energy market because of internal political greed.

While Algeria and Morocco fight over who controls the energy supply to Europe, Kogi State is fighting just to get a fraction of the same investment that other regions take for granted.

A Call to Action: Kogi Must Resist Oppression

The ongoing political sabotage against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is not just about her—it is about Kogi’s right to development.

1. Kogi people must unite and resist this oppression. The state has suffered enough political and economic marginalisation.
2. The Senate must be held accountable. Elected officials were sent to Abuja to facilitate development, not to engage in petty political distractions.
3. The LNG project must continue. Every legal, political, and social effort must be made to ensure that the project reaches completion.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s fight is Kogi’s fight. If she is silenced, then Kogi’s economic future is once again doomed to the same fate as Ajaokuta Steel. This must not happen.

Kogi State must rise and demand what is rightfully ours!

Comrade Enemona Abel Ellah
Social Media Storyline Episode 134