Natasha tackles Obi-Kwankwaso group over cash gift probe

The Senator representing Kogi Central, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

The senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has defended the distribution of millions of naira to her constituents under her empowerment programme, saying she has yet to receive an invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over the event.

The lawmaker, however, said she would honour any invitation from the anti-graft agency to explain the source and disbursement of the funds, which she claimed were provided for in the Federal Government’s budget.

Akpoti-Uduaghan spoke in a video circulating on social media and seen by Sunday PUNCH in response to a demand by the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement that the EFCC investigate the cash distribution, which the group described as alleged vote-buying.

She said the money was presented publicly to beneficiaries and insisted that the exercise was conducted transparently.

“I have not been invited by the EFCC. But, of course, if I’m invited, I will turn up and explain the following things. Number one, the cash empowerment was money from the Federal Government. It’s budgeted by the Federal Government,” she said.

The senator added that about 600 beneficiaries attended the programme, where the cash was displayed before distribution.

She faulted the OK Movement for demanding an investigation rather than encouraging its own representatives in the National Assembly to provide similar empowerment opportunities to their constituents.

The senator said, “I don’t know how authentic you are. But if you are, you have your senators in the Senate, and they’re also able to bring these same opportunities to you.

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“So, rather than using your efforts to call on EFCC to investigate why I am giving such an amount of money to my constituents, I think you should channel that energy to your senators and tell them to do the same for you.”

The OK Movement had called on the EFCC to investigate the senator’s empowerment programme, alleging that the public distribution of large sums of money could amount to vote-buying.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, the group’s Director-General, John Ughulu, urged the commission to examine the circumstances surrounding the disbursement and prosecute anyone found culpable.

The group also threatened to mobilise political resources against Akpoti-Uduaghan’s return to the National Assembly, accusing her of undermining democratic principles through the public distribution of millions of naira to constituents.

The controversy followed the circulation of photographs and videos showing bundles of cash at the empowerment programme organised by the senator to mark her anniversary in the 10th National Assembly.

The public display of the money attracted criticism on social media, with some Nigerians questioning the propriety of distributing large sums of cash at a constituency empowerment event.