Former lawmaker, Senator Nicholas Ugbane, represented the people of Kogi-east senatorial district in the Senate between 2003 and 2011. He served for two consecutive tenures. Senator Ugbane, according to records, is one of the political fathers of the state at creation owing to his influence in the days of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) that was the major opposition party in the country then.
Sen Ugbane and the late Prince Abubakar Audu were the strong pillars of the party in the state such that the duo were able to capture the state for the party at a time that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was in power. That was why he was able to ride on the wings of the party to the Senate in 2003. In 2007 however, he crossed over from ANPP to PDP, this was when the fortunes of ANPP began to dwindle at the centre; thereafter, he secured PDP’s ticket for the second time, but failed in his bid to return the third time.
While he was in the Senate, both during his first and second missionary journeys, he was very outspoken on many issues in plenary such that the leadership of the upper chamber nominated him into several committees like public account, Niger Delta, aviation, INEC, among others. Although in 2009, his name was mentioned in alleged plan to defraud the federal government to the tune of 10 billion naira, a fund meant for rural electrification. However, till date, Sen Ugbane has not been found guilty by any competent court, as a proof that those allegations were mere.