A political pressure group, Action Collective (AC), has dismissed allegations of budget padding against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, calling them baseless and diversionary.
In a statement by its National Coordinator, Teddy Onyejuwe, the group described the claims as an attempt to misrepresent facts and distract from more pressing issues that require proper investigation.
The controversy arose from accusations that Akpoti-Uduaghan manipulated the budget of the Senate Committee on Local Content, which she previously chaired. However, Action Collective insists these allegations were deliberately made to divert attention from other matters.
Onyejuwe argued that the senator’s removal as chairperson of the committee was politically motivated, particularly after her role in securing five LNG projects for Kogi State, approved by President Bola Tinubu. The commissioning of these projects reportedly triggered tensions that led to her removal.
The group also criticized procedural errors in her suspension, stating that due process was not followed. Onyejuwe questioned why the Senate failed to comply with a court order on the matter, suggesting desperation was at play.
Action Collective urged authorities to prioritize real issues over political distractions and called for fairness in legislative proceedings.