Why I didn’t invite Natasha Akpoti to north central commission budget defence – Titus Zam

Senator Titus Zam, chairman of the senate committee on the north central development commission (NCDC), says Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is not a member of the panel and was not invited to its budget defence session.

On Monday, there was mild drama in the senate when Akpoti-Uduaghan protested her alleged exclusion from the NCDC committee.

The Kogi lawmaker arrived at the committee meeting prepared to participate but found her name missing from the attendance list.

She later alleged that Zam told her his action was based on “instructions from higher authorities” without giving details.

Zam clarified his position on Tuesday while responding to questions from journalists.

“No, she’s not a member of the committee and was not invited to the budget defence meeting. Two senators from Kogi are members. Senator Isah Jubrin is my vice chairman of NCDC, while Senator Sunday Karimi is a member,” Zam said.

“After the budget defence meeting, Senator 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.”

Zam said membership of development commission committees reflects the principle of national character, with senators from different zones represented.

“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,” he said.

“For example, Senator Pam from Plateau state too is not a member of NCDC, because Senators Plang and Lalong are members.

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

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

Meanwhile, the senate approved the N140 billion 2026 budget estimate of the NCDC after a closed-door session on Monday.

“We have considered all the items on the estimates and found them very relevant and useful for the north-central region,” Zam said.

“As a committee overseeing this commission, we have requested them to prioritise their expenditures in line with their mandate so that people of north-central region will benefit from their services and have value for resources that are allocated to them.”

He said agriculture, security, health, education, public infrastructure and social services should take priority in the implementation of the budget.