From contesting for Senate on the platform of a mushroom party in 2019, she learnt the lessons and moved into a major party ahead of 2023 to run for the same seat. Winning the PDP senatorial ticket anywhere is not an easy feat; Natasha did it with 159 votes to 31 for her closest opponent, just two months after joining the party.
With another mushroom party becoming a bigger political threat in 2023, she deflected the wave and skilfully held on to a large youth base, running the APC so close in campaigns that Gov. Yahaya Bello, who has overrun political opponents in Kogi State with dirty tactics over the years, had to resort to his darkest arts to prevent her victory. Yahaya Bello ordered the excavation of a major road linking Kogi Central to delay election materials, deployed thugs on election day and rigged the February 25 elections.
Playing the script, APCNEC went on to declare APC’s Abubakar Sadiku-Ohere as winner with 52,132 to 51,763 votes over Natasha, a margin of 369 votes that should have called for at worst a rerun.
From the Tribunal to the Appeal Court, Natasha battled to regain her senatorial mandate and was sworn-in as Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Kogi Central and her battle now became delivering for her constituents by performance of not only the legislative duties of a Senator, but real impact on their lives.
Ever the warrior, Natasha has taken on this next battle with skill: 800 streetlights installed across her senatorial district and 6 constituency offices opened in the 5 LGAs that make up her district.
If the measure of successful business is profit, then the measure of success in politics is victory, as the measure of success in office is impact; then:
My outstanding Politician of the Year 2023 is Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of the PDP and representing Kogi Central Senatorial District.
At 44 years in age, her political playbook is still being written but is already shaping up as a classic for future political leaders.
Demola Olarewaju,
PDP, Lagos
