Badamasuiy convenes Kogi Central PDP interfaith prayers for Akpoti-Uduaghan’s reelection bid

The political landscape in Kogi Central is already stirring ahead of the 2027 general elections, with faith, loyalty, and ambition converging at a prayer session last Tuesday organised by Honourable Abdulrahaman Badamasuiy for Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The well attended session was organized by Hon. Abdulrahman Badamasuiy – a former House of Representatives member and current aspirant for Okehi/Adavi Federal Constituency . The event brought together  both Christian and Muslim clerics to seek divine guidance, favour, and mercy for Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan as she  prepares for a second-term bid under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The interfaith prayers came on the heels of the Kogi Central PDP leadership endorsing Akpoti-Uduaghan as its consensus candidate  for Kogi Central Senatorial election in 2027.

The Senator, who made history as Kogi State’s first elected female senator, has already revalidated her PDP membership and urged Nigerians, especially youths, to embrace the party’s digital registration drive. She has consistently described the PDP as “Nigeria’s strongest opposition platform” and called for unity within its ranks ahead of 2027.

The prayer session reflects a recurring theme in Nigerian politics where spiritual endorsement is sought alongside party structures. Clerics across the two  major faiths were invited to pray not only for Akpoti-Uduaghan’s victory in the 2027 senatorial contest but also for “God’s guidance, favour and mercy in all her endeavours now and beyond her victory,” according to the organiser’s statement.

Hon. Badamasuiy himself is not merely a convener. He is also preparing to contest for the House of Representatives seat for Okehi/Adavi Federal Constituency. Prayers were equally offered for  him to be victorious, with attendees asking that both leaders secure “overwhelming victory” in 2027. The dual blessing underscores a strategy of alliance-building within Kogi Central PDP, where Badamasuiy and Akpoti-Uduaghan have previously met with other stakeholders to preach party unity ahead of congresses.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s path to the Senate had been tortuous and hard after  initially contesting under the SDP in 2019, she won the Kogi Central seat in 2023 on the PDP platform following a tribunal verdict that nullified the APC’s declaration.

She assumed office in November 2023 and has since been vocal about PDP internal democracy. At the 2026 PDP National Convention, she moved the motion to ratify ward-to-zonal congresses, arguing it signalled that the party is “united, reorganised, and positioning itself for the 2027 general elections”.

Despite reported overtures from the Presidency and Senate colleagues to defect to the APC, the senator has maintained that she has “found peace in the PDP”. She has, however, noted that unresolved leadership crises could force her to “explore other options” if she decides to run in 2027. For now, the Kogi Central PDP leadership appears to be closing ranks around her.

The endorsement and prayers also come after a turbulent period. Constituents in Kogi Central initiated a recall process against Akpoti-Uduaghan in early 2025, citing dissatisfaction with her performance. The Senator described the attempt as political vendetta. INEC eventually ruled that the petition did not meet constitutional requirements and halted the process. Her defiant return to her constituency in Ihima, Okehi LGA, drew thousands of supporters, a show of grassroots strength that the PDP is now leveraging upon .

With Hon. Badamasuiy seeking a return to the Green Chamber and Akpoti-Uduaghan eyeing a second Senate term, the joint prayer session signals an emerging PDP ticket in Kogi Central. Both figures are positioning loyalty to party, community, and faith as central pillars of their campaigns. As Akpoti-Uduaghan told party leaders recently, “Nigerians are watching, and we must show that the PDP remains ready and capable of leading the nation forward”.

Whether divine favour translates to electoral favour will be tested in 2027. For now, Kogi Central PDP is betting on unity – political and spiritual – as its opening strategy.