Natasha not NCDC committee member – Sen. Zam

Sen. Titus Zam, Chairman, Senate Committee on North Central Development Commission (NCDC), has said that Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP-Kogi) is not a member of the committee, contrary to her claims.

Zam, who represents Benue North-West in the upper chamber, gave the clarification in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday while reacting to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims of her being a member of the committee.

Our correspondent reports that Akpoti-Uduaghan had, on Monday, alleged that her name was omitted from the attendance register of the committee.

Our correspondent also reports that the committee had held its budget defence with management of the commission, with Akpoti-Uduaghan expressing anger that her name was omitted from the attendance register.

Zam, in his reaction, however, insisted that the Kogi Central senator is not a member of his committee.

“She’s not a member of the committee and was not invited to the budget defence meeting.

“Two senators from Kogi are members. Indeed, Sen. Isah Jibrin is my vice-chairman of NCDC while Sen. Sunday Karimi is a member.

“After the budget defence meeting, Sen Natasha came several hours later to complain against her not being invited. I told her she’s not a member, so she couldn’t have been invited.

“Many other north-central senators are not members because senators from other zones in Nigeria are mixed up in all the development commission committees for the purpose of national character.

“For example, Sen. Pam Mwadkon from Plateau State too is not a member of NCDC, because Senators Diket Plang and Simon Lalong are members.

“She, as usual, ignorantly claimed that being from the north-central Nigeria, she ought to have been a member.

“A brief argument ensued, and I told her to approach the senate committee on selection and lodge her complaint. After a back and forth movement, she left my office,” Zam stated.