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The senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has defended the distribution of millions of naira to her constituents under her empowerment programme, saying she has not received any invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The lawmaker, however, said she would honour any invitation from the anti-graft agency to explain the source and distribution of the money, which she claimed was provided for in the Nigerian Government’s budget.
Akpoti-Uduaghan spoke in a video circulating on social media.
Her comments followed a call by the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement for the EFCC to investigate the cash distribution, which the group described as alleged vote-buying.
The senator said the money was presented publicly to beneficiaries and insisted that the exercise was transparent.
“I have not been invited by the EFCC. But, of course, if I’m invited, I will turn up and explain the following things. Number one, the cash empowerment was money from the Federal Government. It’s budgeted by the Nigerian Government,” she said.
She added that about 600 beneficiaries attended the programme, where the money was displayed before distribution.
The senator also criticised the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement for demanding an investigation instead of urging its representatives in the National Assembly to provide similar empowerment opportunities for their constituents.
“I don’t know how authentic you are. But if you are, you have your senators in the Senate, and they’re also able to bring these same opportunities to you.
“So, rather than using your efforts to call on EFCC to investigate why I am giving such an amount of money to my constituents, I think you should channel that energy to your senators and tell them to do the same for you,” she said.
The Obi-Kwankwaso Movement had urged the EFCC to investigate the senator’s empowerment programme, alleging that the public distribution of large sums of money could amount to vote-buying.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, the group’s Director-General, John Ughulu, asked the commission to examine the circumstances surrounding the disbursement and prosecute anyone found culpable.
The group also threatened to mobilise political resources against Akpoti-Uduaghan’s return to the National Assembly.
It accused the senator of undermining democratic principles through the public distribution of millions of naira to her constituents.
The controversy followed the circulation of photographs and videos showing bundles of cash at the empowerment programme organised by the senator to mark her anniversary in the 10th National Assembly.
The public display of the money attracted criticism on social media, with some Nigerians questioning the propriety of distributing large sums of cash at a constituency empowerment event.
