There are indications that the long-standing tension between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central) and Senate President Godswill Akpabio may finally be cooling. On Thursday, Senator Natasha extended a public invitation to Akpabio and all senators to attend the commissioning of her constituency projects in Kogi State, a move widely interpreted as a reconciliation effort.
The invitation, personally signed by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, was formally read on the floor of the Senate by the Senate President himself. It calls on her colleagues to join her on Sunday in Ihima, Kogi State, to mark the commissioning of these projects, coinciding with her second anniversary in office.
The letter states:
“In marking my second-year anniversary as a serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I wish to invite my Distinguished colleagues to join me for the commissioning of projects in Kogi State.”
Senator Natasha designated her residence at Plot 101, Jimoh Akpoti Street, Ihima, Okene, as the meeting point for the event. For senators traveling by air, the letter suggests they may land at the Obajana Airstrip and proceed to Ihima by road.
Upon hearing the invitation, Senate President Akpabio congratulated Senator Natasha in advance. The gesture is significant because earlier this year, the two clashed over the reallocation of seats in the Senate chamber, a conflict that resulted in Senator Natasha’s suspension for six months on March 6, 2025. She was reinstated on September 24 and has since taken an active role in Senate plenaries and debates.
One of her notable recent contributions was during the debate on the Criminal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, where she secured an additional prayer for inclusion into the resolution. But this latest overture — formally inviting Akpabio to her constituency projects — is being seen as the clearest sign yet that their relationship may now have been fully restored.
