Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan
By Toyin Jegede
The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement has called on the anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s cash empowerment programme, alleging that the distribution of money to constituents amounted to vote-buying.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, the Director-General of the OK Movement, John Ughulu, urged the EFCC to investigate the circumstances surrounding the programme and prosecute anyone found culpable.
Ughulu also threatened to mobilise political resources against the senator’s return to the National Assembly, accusing her of undermining democratic principles through the distribution of millions of naira to constituents.
The statement read, “The OK Movement strongly condemns the reported cash empowerment exercise by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. The action is an apparent case of open vote-buying and a serious affront to democratic principles.
“We call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to urgently investigate the circumstances surrounding this exercise and, where evidence of wrongdoing is established, prosecute those responsible in accordance with the law.”
The group described the exercise as a disgrace to the Senate, insisting that elected officials should not use financial inducements to influence citizens’ electoral choices.
“This development is a total disgrace to the Nigerian Senate as an institution. Elected public officials must understand that public office is a position of responsibility, not an opportunity to compromise the electoral choices of citizens through financial inducements.
“The OK Movement will not remain silent in the face of practices that undermine our democracy. We condemn this conduct and declare our intention to mobilise every legitimate political resource within our reach to campaign against Senator Natasha’s return to the Senate.
“Nigeria deserves leaders who respect democratic values, uphold accountability and earn the confidence of the people through competence, integrity and service, not financial inducements,” Ughulu added.
Recall that Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, had on Wednesday defended her decision to distribute millions of naira to constituents during an empowerment programme marking her third anniversary in the 10th National Assembly.
The lawmaker came under criticism after photographs and videos showing bundles of cash at the event circulated on social media, prompting questions about the propriety of publicly displaying large sums of money during a constituency empowerment programme.
However, in a statement issued by her media aide, Mike Idoko, the senator said the decision to distribute cash rather than business equipment was informed by the preferences of beneficiaries.
She explained that previous empowerment exercises had shown that some constituents preferred direct financial assistance to equipment, citing their immediate business needs.
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