Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has disclosed that she has been repeatedly approached by high-ranking officials from the Presidency and parliamentary colleagues to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), but has firmly rejected the offers.
The senator, who is a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), reaffirmed her commitment to her current political platform despite its ongoing internal struggles.
Speaking in a recent interview, Akpoti-Uduaghan stressed her independence from political trends. When asked if the APC would ever be an option, she was unequivocal: “No, I wouldn’t. I was in APC briefly at the start of everything. Why should I go and join APC?”
She went on to detail the pressure she has faced to switch allegiance. “I have been approached many times. I have been approached by people from the Presidency, from even my colleagues. Even as recently as yesterday, one joked about it: ‘We’re still expecting, we would love to have you.’”
Despite the cajoling, the senator insisted on remaining with the PDP for the time being, telling her suitors, “I love my space, I love my peace here. I’m okay with my party now, so I don’t think I have to join the APC.”
However, she did hint at a contingency plan should the opposition party fail to stabilize before the next election cycle. Akpoti-Uduaghan indicated that while she intends to seek re-election on the PDP platform, “If by any chance I decide to contest in 2027 and the PDP hasn’t resolved its crisis, I need just a month to choose a platform of my choice, and my people will move with me.”
The first-term senator successfully challenged the 2023 election results in court, defeating the APC candidate sponsored by the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello. Akpoti-Uduaghan stated that she is prepared for a potential 2027 rematch with the former governor, declaring, “I am not scared of Yahaya Bello. I am his nightmare. He was a sitting governor and wielded all the powers at his disposal against me, and I defeated his candidate in 2023.”
