The Media Office of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, has demanded an immediate retraction and public clarification from one Simon Akoji Ocheje over a viral social-media claim alleging that the senator gave him ₦7 million for media-related activities.
The Media Office, in a statement issued in response to a video circulating on Facebook, categorically denied any knowledge of or involvement in the alleged transaction, saying the senator had neither given Ocheje the said amount nor maintained any financial arrangement with him relating to the alleged payment.
According to the statement, the purported ₦7 million transaction document being circulated alongside the claim does not represent a payment made by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The Media Office said: “Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan did not give Simon Akoji Ocheje ₦7 million, nor does the Distinguished Senator have any known financial transaction, engagement or arrangement with him relating to the alleged payment.”
It further stated that both the senator and her Media Office had completely dissociated themselves from the claim and the purported transaction document circulating on social media.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the alleged ₦7 million transaction slip does not represent a payment made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to Simon Akoji Ocheje,” the statement added.
The Media Office consequently urged members of the public to exercise caution and refrain from treating or circulating the purported document as evidence of a financial transaction involving the senator.
It also challenged Ocheje to publicly address the allegation and provide clarification over the circumstances surrounding the video and the purported transaction document.
“We therefore call on Simon Akoji Ocheje to urgently retract the statement attributed to him and provide a clear and unequivocal clarification to the public through a video, explaining the circumstances surrounding the claim and the circulation of the purported ₦7 million transaction document,” the statement said.
The senator’s Media Office also warned journalists, bloggers, social-media commentators and other content creators against amplifying unverified claims, particularly where such claims involve purported financial documents.
It stressed that the need for responsible information dissemination had become more important as political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections gradually intensify.
“As the political season leading towards the 2027 general elections gradually gathers momentum, social media will increasingly become a major arena for political communication,” the statement noted.
The office urged media practitioners and members of the public to verify information before publishing or sharing it, stressing that credibility and responsible journalism remained essential in the political space.
The statement added: “We therefore encourage members of the public to verify before they amplify, and to rely on credible and verifiable sources rather than unsubstantiated social-media claims.”
While dismissing the allegation, the Media Office said it remained focused on the senator’s legislative responsibilities and public engagements in Kogi Central.
“We will not be distracted by misinformation or attempts to manufacture narratives around the Distinguished Senator. Our focus remains on responsible representation, service to the people of Kogi Central and communicating the Senator’s documented activities and achievements to the public,” it said.
The statement concluded with a message of resolve: “We remain focused. We remain resolute. And our eyes remain firmly on the ball.”
