The Chairman of the Senate Committee on the North Central Development Commission (NCDC), Senator Titus Zam, has dismissed claims by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan that she is a member of the committee, insisting that her name does not appear on its official roster.
Zam, who represents Benue North-West in the Senate, clarified the matter amid growing public discourse over the composition of the newly constituted committee overseeing the North Central Development Commission. According to him, the Senate’s records and formal committee listings do not include Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The clarification follows assertions attributed to Akpoti-Uduaghan suggesting that she is part of the committee charged with legislative oversight of the NCDC, a regional intervention body established to drive development across the North Central zone.
Zam maintained that committee memberships are determined and formally announced by the Senate leadership and reflected in official documentation. He stressed that any claim to membership must align with the Senate’s approved structure.
“The composition of the committee is clear and properly documented. Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is not a member of the Senate Committee on the North Central Development Commission,” Zam said, underscoring that legislative procedures do not accommodate informal or self-declared affiliations.
The North Central Development Commission was recently established to address infrastructure deficits, ecological challenges, insecurity, and socio-economic disparities affecting states in the region. As with other zonal development commissions, its Senate committee plays a crucial role in budgetary scrutiny, policy guidance, and oversight of project implementation.
The disagreement over committee membership has added a political undertone to what is ordinarily an administrative matter within the legislature. Observers note that committee assignments in the Senate often reflect strategic balancing of regional representation, party interests, and legislative priorities.
While Akpoti-Uduaghan has yet to publicly respond to Zam’s latest clarification, the development highlights ongoing tensions within the upper chamber as lawmakers navigate new institutional frameworks and emerging regional commissions.
The Senate leadership is expected to rely on its official records to resolve any lingering ambiguities regarding committee composition, reinforcing procedural order within the National Assembly.
