In this article, TRIBUNE ONLINE profiles the first elected female senator in Kogi, Chief Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. Born December 9, 1979, her political career is indeed an inspiration for women in politics.
On Tuesday, October 31, Court of Appeal in Abuja, declared the senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party as the duly elected candidate for the Kogi Central Senatorial Election held in February 2023.
The court further dismissed the appeal filed by Abubakar Ohere of the All Progressives Congress for lacking in merit.
Who is Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan?
Natasha is the second of four children and the only daughter of a Nigerian father and a Ukrainian mother. Her mother, Ludmila Kravchenk, is a Ukrainian from Rakitna in the region of Chernivtsi. Her father, Dr Jimoh Abdul Akpoti, is from Obeiba-Ihima, Kogi, where she spent her early life. She lost her father in 1998 and the family had to relocate.
Education
The Kogi-born politician studied at the University of Abuja from 2000 to 2004 and graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree. She was called to the Nigerian bar in 2005 upon graduation from the Nigerian Law School in Abuja.
In 2011, she proceeded to the University of Dundee and graduated with a Master of Laws degree in 2012. She also holds a Master of Business Administration in Oil & Gas Management from the University of Dundee.
Political career
The cerebral lawyer ran for the post of Senator for Kogi Central Senatorial District under Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 2019. She later contested in the 2019 Kogi State Gubernatorial Election which was held on 16 November 2019.
Prior to her recent victory at Appeal Court, Natasha has been vocal in her quest for good governance, especially after presenting an investigative report to the National Assembly on March 1, 2018, on corrupt activities regarding the Ajaokuta steel mill. The report detailed the repetitive waste of government funds and embezzlement since the initial construction of the steel mill which has remained moribund despite multiple attempts to get it running.
On February 2023, the 43-year-old contested for the senatorial seat under the PDP with 52,132 votes against Sadiku-Ohere of the APC with 51,763 votes, and she lost to her opponent with a difference of 369 votes between them. However, she was later declared winner by the Kogi Election Tribunal and recently reaffirmed by Appeal Court, while her opponent’s victory was nullified. She was sworn-in as senator representing Kogi Central by 10th Senate on Thursday.
Marital life
On March 5, 2022, Natasha tied the knot with Alema of Warri, Chief Emmanuel Uduaghan (a relation to former Delta governor Emmanuel Uduaghan), in a ceremony at her native home in Ihima. She is blessed with four kids.
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