Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, on Saturday unveiled what many have described as the “Mother of All Empowerments,” a sweeping initiative distributing tools, financial support, and infrastructure to over 2,000 constituents across her Adavi Local Government Area.
Addressing her constituents, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan said:
“Two years ago, you, my brothers and sisters, my mothers and fathers, my sons and daughters, gave me the secret trust to represent you at the Senate of our great nation.
“Today, I stand before you deeply humbled and eternally grateful for that fate. These past two years have not been without trials. We have faced obstacles, opposition, and moments that tested our resolve. But through it all, we stood firm, guided by truth, justice, and the collective dream of a better central Kogi.”
She acknowledged challenges during her tenure:
“Six months out of a year’s legislative work was ripped from us through an unjust suspension. However, my legitimacy as a senator stayed intact because you resisted a despicable ploy to recall me from the National Assembly. That birthed a renewed commitment of service from my part.”
The senator then listed the projects executed during her suspension, describing them as life-changing interventions for her people:
“Two brand new markets have been built for our traders, especially market women. Each market has 80 shops, abattoirs, electricity, water supply, and toilets. A brand-new primary and secondary school with teachers’ quarters, electricity, and water supply was built in the Fulani settlement in Osarabogo community. We also installed fourteen solar-powered water circulation systems, two thousand smart solar-powered streetlights across the five local governments, one police house and quarters for the Ihima police station, and provided a police patrol van and speed bike for the same station. Eight brand-new 500 kVA ABB transformers were installed for the five local governments.”
She further highlighted direct empowerment of constituents:
“The empowerment of 2,000 constituents with career- and trade-transforming tools and equipment includes electric solar-powered vehicles, deep freezers, gas cookers, sewing machines, farm pesticide spraying tools, grinding machines, fishponds, and cobbler machines.”
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan also paid tribute to her family and supporters:
“For this success, I owe deep appreciation to my legislative team, political family, and supporters across the five local government areas. To my dear husband, Emmanuel Uduaghan, thank you for your love, your patience, and your quiet strength. You have walked this journey with me through thick and thin. And your support reminds me every day that behind every strong woman, it’s a family that believes in her mission.
“To my fellow senators and colleagues, thank you for the spirit of partnership and collaboration. As we look ahead, I reaffirm my commitment to remain accessible, accountable, and action-driven. My promise to you remains the same: I will continue to serve with courage, compassion, and integrity. I will uphold the values that define us as a proud and resilient people.”
The senator also unveiled additional initiatives, emphasizing inclusivity and sustainability:
“The celebration is not about me. It is about us — about the journey we have begun and the future we are building together.”
The empowerment items distributed included:
- Over 100 electric tricycles (Nigeria’s first constituency electric vehicle scheme)
- Farming tools, seeds, and fertilizers
- Tailoring and sewing machines
- Hairdressing and barbing kits
- Carpentry and woodworking tool sets
- Grinding machines, deep freezers, gas cookers
- Shoemaking kits
- Fishery ponds and equipment
- Startup cash grants and direct financial transfers
- Educational scholarships and school supplies
Infrastructure projects commissioned included:
- New primary and secondary schools, including model schools for Fulani settlements
- Police officers’ quarters
- Boreholes for clean water
- Streetlights and transformers
- Two modern markets with stalls allocated to female traders
- Health/maternity kits and a maternity center to be commissioned in December 2025
- Launch of the Kogi Central People’s Company Limited by Guarantee, a community-owned entity managing assets to fund scholarships, erosion control, and welfare for widows and orphans
This massive initiative has been widely lauded as a benchmark for constituency-focused governance, combining tangible economic empowerment with durable infrastructure, education, and security projects.
