Natasha Inciting Violence — Kogi Govt. Hits Back
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the suspended lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District of Kogi State, on Tuesday, brushed aside a state-imposed ban on public gatherings and a police order to cancel her homecoming rally, arriving by helicopter in her hometown of Ihima, Okehi Local Government Area.
Despite a heavy security presence, including roadblocks manned by police, soldiers, and civil defence operatives, Akpoti-Uduaghan made a theatrical entrance, landing in a helicopter to circumvent restrictions.
The rally, intended as a Sallah celebration with her constituents during the Eid-el-Fitr break, unfolded against a backdrop of escalating political tension in Kogi Central Senatorial District.
Her arrival followed the Kogi State government’s Monday announcement banning all political and religious gatherings, citing intelligence reports of planned violent protests. The state police had explicitly urged her to call off the event, warning of security threats.
Amid a jubilant crowd of supporters, the embattled senator dropped a bombshell, alleging that the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, had instructed the immediate past governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to have her killed in Kogi to disguise it as a local attack.
Hours before her arrival, Akpoti-Uduaghan had taken to Facebook, issuing a chilling warning: “My dear people of Kogi Central, I look forward to our PEACEFUL Sallah celebrations today. However, should we be met with or infiltrated by violence, Nigerians should hold Gov Ododo, Yahaya Bello & SP Godswill Akpabio wholly responsible.”
But it was during her speech to the cheering crowd that Akpoti-Uduaghan escalated her accusations to an unprecedented level. She claimed that Akpabio, frustrated by her opposition in the Senate, had conspired with Yahaya Bello to not only recall her from office but also eliminate her physically.
She asserted: “On the 13th of March at 10:00 pm, Akpabio called Governor Ododo to commence my recall, but Ododo told him it would be impossible because the masses are with me.”
“Unsatisfied, Akpabio then called Yahaya Bello, instructing him to fund my recall and ensure my killing happens here in Kogi, not in Abuja, so it would look like the people did it.”
Natasha further stated that she had informed the Inspector General of Police about the alleged plot, though she had kept it under wraps until now.
“I didn’t make this public earlier, but I have written to the IG of Police,” she told her supporters, who responded with a mix of shock and fervent chants of solidarity.
This latest chapter in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s tumultuous political journey comes amid her six-month suspension from the Senate, which she claims stems from her resistance to Akpabio’s alleged sexual harassment—a charge he has denied vehemently.
Her suspension, officially for “gross misconduct” and “unruly behaviour,” followed a seating dispute, but her supporters argue it was retaliation for her outspokenness.
Additionally, a recall process initiated by some Kogi Central constituents, allegedly backed by Bello and Akpabio, has gained traction, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirming receipt of petition documents.
But in an official statement on Tuesday, Kogi Information Commissioner, Kingsley Fanwo dismissed the Senator’s claims that Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, former Governor Yahaya Bello, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio would be responsible if anything happened to her.
Fanwo called these allegations “another desperate and calculated attempt by an incurable liar and serial manipulator to mislead the public, incite unrest, and present herself as a victim.”
The commissioner said Akpoti-Uduaghan broke rules against political gatherings that were set up to keep peace. He accused her of trying to “stir trouble and violence in Kogi Central Senatorial District.”
“We will not allow any part of the state to go up in flames nor permit the killing of innocent souls by the actions of the suspended Senator,” the statement read in part.
Fanwo also mentioned that even though she deleted a social media post accusing the government of putting her life at risk, people had already taken screenshots. He added that security reports had warned about plans to cause unrest in Kogi Central.
“Let it be categorically stated that Governor Ododo has no interest in the political theatrics of the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. Her baseless allegations are nothing but a feeble attempt to stir unnecessary controversy and cover up her blatant disregard for the law,” he stated.
