In a significant development, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, presided over the swearing-in of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as the new senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District during a plenary session on Thursday. Administered by the Clerk of the Senate, Mr. Chinedu Akubueze, the oath was officially taken at approximately 11:41 am.
Following the oath-taking ceremony, Akpoti-Uduaghan exchanged pleasantries with her fellow senators and extended a handshake to the Senate President, who presented her with a copy of the Senate Standing Rules. She was subsequently escorted to her designated seat by the sergeant at arms.
This development follows a recent ruling by the Court of Appeal, affirming that Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, was the legitimate candidate for the Kogi Central Senatorial Election, held on February 25 of the current year. The appeal filed by Senator Abubakar Ohere, a member of the All Progressives Congress, was dismissed by the appellate court for lack of merit.
Prior to this, the Kogi State Election Petition Tribunal, situated in Lokoja, had annulled the victory of Ohere, leading to the court's declaration of Akpoti-Uduaghan as the rightful winner of the February senatorial poll. Despite Ohere's appeal to the appellate court, the ruling in favor of Akpoti-Uduaghan has been upheld
