NCDC panel chairman accuses Senator Natasha of ignorance

2026-02-17 - 11:48

By John Alechenu The Chairman, Senate Committee of North Central Development Commission (NCDC), Senator Titus Zam, has accused Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi Central) of ignorance following an altercation over the panel’s membership. According to him, the Kogi Central Senator is not a member of the committee as such it would have been out of place to invite her to its meeting. He made the clarification in response to enquiries about the altercation involving Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s aides and staff of his office yesterday. Zam said, “She’s not a member of the committee and was not invited to the budget defence meeting. Two senators from Kogi are members – indeed, Senator Sani Jubrin is my vice chairman of NCDC while Sen Sunny Karimi is a member. “After the budget defence meeting, Sen Natasha came several hours later to complain against her not being invited. I told her she’s not a member, so she couldn’t have been invited. “Many other north central senators are not members because senators from other zones in Nigeria are mixed up in all the development commission committees for the purpose of national character. “For example, Senator Pam from Plateau State too is not a member of NCDC, because Senators Plang and Lalong are members. “She, as usual, ignorantly claimed that being from north central Nigeria, she ought to have been a member. “A brief argument ensued, and I told her to approach the Senate committee on selection and lodge her complaint. After a back-and-forth movement, she left my office.” Recall, Senator Natasha led a protest to the NCDC Committee Chairman’s office following what she alleged was a systematic attempt to deny her her rights and privileges as a Senator representing Kogi Central.