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Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has taken her 2027 re-election campaign to the five local government areas of Kogi Central, seeking to turn her first-term constituency projects and political support into a renewed mandate.
The senator, who represents Kogi Central in the Senate, has begun a series of consultations and political engagements across Adavi, Ajaokuta, Okehi, Okene and Ogori-Magongo, bringing together Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders, candidates, community stakeholders, women and youths.
According to records released by hrr media office on Sunday, the campaign is shaping up around the senator’s record in the last three years, with education, healthcare, infrastructure and economic empowerment featuring prominently in her appeal for another term.
However, the engagements have also provided an opportunity for constituents to draw attention to outstanding development needs, including requests for boreholes, solar-powered streetlights and school blocks, particularly from Fulani communities in Ajaokuta.
A major feature of the mobilisation is the involvement of PDP candidates seeking election into the National Assembly and Kogi State House of Assembly, suggesting an effort to build a coordinated campaign structure across the district ahead of the 2027 elections.
The opening phase, which commenced on October 31, attracted large crowds along the senator’s route through communities in Okene before culminating in a gathering at her residence in Obeiba, Ihima, Okehi Local Government Area.
More than 500 supporters reportedly travelled from Abuja to attend the gathering, which also attracted party stakeholders and political associates from different parts of the state.
Addressing the supporters, Akpoti-Uduaghan sought to frame her relationship with the electorate as one extending beyond election seasons.
“My relationship with the people of Kogi Central goes beyond elections. These are my people, my family and the very reason I remain committed to public service. I do not need an election season to remember where I come from or who entrusted me with the responsibility of representing them,” she said.
She added, “What we witnessed today is a reflection of the bond we have continued to build over time. I am deeply grateful to everyone who came out, not because they were compelled to do so, but because they believe in the journey we have undertaken together. Their love and confidence mean a great deal to me, and I will never take them for granted.”
The senator’s campaign has placed education among its major selling points, particularly her interventions involving the distribution of digital learning devices to schools across the district.
In Adavi, she marked her third anniversary in office on November 2 with visits to four schools, including OCSS Oboroke, Adavi Model Secondary School, Adavi Eba and Community Secondary School, Obangede, where smart devices and laptop computers were presented.
She also donated learning iPads to Comprehensive Secondary School in Ajaokuta Steel City as part of efforts to improve access to digital education.
Healthcare is another issue featuring in her re-election pitch, with the proposed Federal Medical Centre in Ihima among the major projects she is pursuing through legislative advocacy.
The senator has sponsored Senate Bill 521 seeking the establishment of the medical facility to improve access to specialist healthcare services in Kogi Central and neighbouring communities.
In Okene, her reported interventions include the rehabilitation and equipping of medical wards at the General Hospital, alongside the provision of free campus-wide internet at the Federal College of Education to support digital learning.
Other projects highlighted by the senator’s camp include boreholes, solar-powered water schemes, streetlights, market infrastructure and support for small businesses.
Her economic empowerment programme has reportedly provided grants ranging from N100,000 to N5 million to small-business owners.
During her engagement in Ajaokuta and Geregu wards, Akpoti-Uduaghan linked her second-term ambition to her performance in office, insisting that her campaign was anchored on her achievements.
“I will not take the massive support I am enjoying from you for granted. Leadership comes with responsibility. We are campaigning on the strength of what we have achieved in the past and what I will do when given the opportunity again,” she said.
She also addressed requests from Fulani communities for solar-powered streetlights, boreholes and school blocks, assuring them that their concerns would receive attention.
The senator acknowledged the need for sustained development interventions in Ajaokuta, where longstanding infrastructure and economic challenges remain.
At Ganaja, she urged constituents to protect their votes in the forthcoming elections, stressing the importance of proper recording and uploading of results and the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
“You must vote and defend your votes,” she told the constituents, urging them to ensure that election results were properly recorded and uploaded.
The involvement of PDP candidates in the campaign has equally given the engagements a broader electoral dimension, with Akpoti-Uduaghan urging voters in Ajaokuta Ward to consider the party’s candidates across the different elective positions.
