By Danfulani Lukman Ohinoyi
When a senator stands alone, the growing isolation of Senator Natasha H. Akpoti-Uduaghan and the price Kogi Central is paying.
The recent controversy surrounding Nigeria’s delegation to the 2026 session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) at the United Nations in New York has once again placed the spotlight on the conduct and style of representation of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central in the Nigerian Senate.
At a time when global leaders, policymakers, and advocates are gathering to discuss gender equality and women’s empowerment, the absence of Kogi Central from such an important international platform raises serious questions, not about the availability of opportunity, but about the consequences of strained relationships and poor legislative diplomacy.
Reports indicate that the Senate delegation eventually included Senator Ireti Heebah Kingibe, who chairs the Senate Committee on Women Affairs, and Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire, after the nominations were approved by the Senate leadership under Senator Godswill Akpabio. Earlier indications suggested that Senator Natasha might have been considered for the trip, especially as preparations reportedly included requests for her passport data page for the CSW program.
However, the final list told a different story.
What should have been a moment of global representation for Kogi Central instead turned into another reminder of the growing isolation of its senator within the legislative chamber.
Representation is more than empowerment.
In modern legislative practice, representation goes far beyond speeches, social media presence, or occasional empowerment programmes. True representation in the National Assembly is built on relationships, negotiation, diplomacy, and collaboration with colleagues.
Legislative work thrives on alliances. Senators must lobby, negotiate, and build goodwill with fellow lawmakers in order to attract projects, influence national policies, and secure opportunities that benefit their constituencies.
Empowerment programmes, while commendable, cannot replace strategic representation. Distributing items or organizing local events may bring temporary applause, but the long-term development of a constituency depends on effective engagement within the corridors of power.
Adequate representation must therefore supersede mere empowerment activities.
Unfortunately, critics argue that Senator Natasha has consistently taken a confrontational path rather than a collaborative one.
Within the Senate, she has developed a reputation for engaging colleagues in disputes at the slightest provocation, situations where diplomacy and restraint would normally produce better outcomes. Observers within legislative circles often point out that she has been involved in repeated clashes with fellow lawmakers, even in circumstances that required calm negotiation rather than public confrontation.
Politics at the national legislative level is not sustained by constant personal battles. It is a system built on tact, patience, influence, and the ability to build bridges.
When a senator repeatedly finds herself at odds with colleagues, even those within her own political party, it inevitably weakens her capacity to effectively advocate for her constituency.
The greatest victims of such political isolation are not the politicians themselves, but the people they represent. Kogi Central, the real loser in this case.
When a senator struggles to maintain constructive relationships within the Senate, opportunities can quietly slip away, from international delegations and policy discussions to development projects and legislative influence.
The controversy surrounding the CSW conference is therefore more than just a dispute over travel; it symbolizes a broader issue about the quality of representation Kogi Central currently receives.
At a global forum focused on women’s advancement, one would ordinarily expect Nigeria’s few female senators to play prominent roles. Yet, once again, Kogi Central finds itself absent from a critical platform, not because the constituency lacks a representative, but because the representative appears increasingly disconnected from the collaborative nature of legislative politics.
Democracy gives citizens the power to periodically assess the performance of their representatives. When representation becomes more about personal confrontations than constituency advancement, voters must begin to ask difficult but necessary questions.
Kogi Central deserves a voice in the Senate that commands respect across party lines, builds bridges rather than burning them, and understands that diplomacy is often the most powerful tool in politics.
Empowerment programmes may generate headlines and momentary applause, but effective legislative representation secures lasting development.
If the constituency continues to miss opportunities because of a confrontational approach to politics, then it may be time for a strategic rethink, one that prioritizes leadership capable of fostering cooperation, commanding respect, and delivering tangible results.
For the people of Kogi Central, the choice going forward is simple: continue on the current path, or seek an alternative representation that places the constituency’s interests above personal political battles and restores the kind of influence that can truly bring development home.
Kogi Central, it’s time for a strategic rethinking.
– Comrade Danfulani Lukman Ohinoyi writes from Okene.
