The lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has threatened to relocate a proposed federal mental health facility from Adavi Local Government Area to another senatorial district following sponsored petitions and online opposition.
The project, facilitated by the lawmaker into the federal budget, generated heated public debates across social media platforms regarding its site and suitability in the senatorial district.
Reacting to the opposition via her official social media handles, Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that a political adversary sponsored public criticism and a formal petition to the federal ministry claiming that constituents rejected the health facility.
“You sponsored criticism against the proposed Mental Health Facility in Adavi. You further sponsored a petition to the ministry claiming that the people of Kogi Central reject the facility and do not want it anywhere in the district,” she stated.
The senator threatened to move the project to Kogi East or Kogi West Senatorial Districts to serve the broader state population if local political opposition persists.
“Don’t worry, the facility shall be moved to Kogi East or West where it would serve the entire state as it’s greatly needed to treat clinically psychotic patients suffering depression, trauma, schizophrenia, postpartum depression, drug and alcohol addiction etc.,” Akpoti-Uduaghan wrote.
She condemned what she described as spiteful and retrogressive political maneuvering aimed at depriving constituents of essential federal health infrastructure.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is seeking re-election to the Senate, and fighting the seat with strong oppositions like the former Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a former Senator, Ahmed Ogembe of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
