As the recall process against her gains momentum, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has launched a food distribution program across Kogi Central senatorial district, handing out bags of rice and other gifts to constituents in what many see as a strategic move to regain public sympathy.
ENigeria News reports that the distribution, which includes bags of beans and bags of millet and rice, comes at a time of brewing when dissatisfaction with the senator has been growing amongst her constituents who feel aggrieved at her, leading to active efforts to recall her from office.
While the initiative is officially described as Ramadan relief, critics argue that it is a calculated attempt to sway public sentiment in her favor.
ENigeria News observed that the grains are being shared across all 57 wards, targeting religious groups, market women, and party supporters. However, many political observers believe the distribution is a direct response to the increasing pressure from constituents who feel disillusioned with her leadership.
Beneficiaries were urged to pray for Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, particularly in the last ten days of Ramadan, emphasizing that her suspension does not nullify her mandate. It was also claimed that the senator had performed exceptionally well within her first year in office, despite the growing calls for her removal.
In what appears to be a broader damage-control strategy, her handlers also revealed that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan would soon roll out new empowerment programs, including skills training and financial support for selected constituents.
While her supporters hail these efforts as proof of her commitment to the people, skeptics argue that such gestures are too little, too late—especially in the face of a recall process driven by the very people she now seeks to appease.