…Akpabio, Yahaya Bello plotted to kill me — Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan
…HURIWA condemns Police, Kogi govt for targeting Natasha’s visit to hometown
By Sodiq Adelakun
The political tension between Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Kogi State Government escalated on Tuesday when the embattled lawmaker defied a state-imposed ban on political rallies and gatherings.
According to NewsDirect, Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, went ahead with her eagerly awaited homecoming rally in Ihima, Okehi Local Government Area, despite warnings from the state government and the imposition of a curfew in the region.
In a dramatic turn of events, Akpoti-Uduaghan arrived at the rally in a white helicopter, greeted by a jubilant crowd of supporters from all five local government areas of Kogi Central.
The event, which coincided with the Sallah celebrations, swiftly turned into a festive occasion, complete with music, dancing, and cheers. Local musicians entertained the crowd as they eagerly awaited the senator’s arrival.
Once on stage, Akpoti-Uduaghan addressed the gathering, dismissing the Kogi State Government’s ban on political gatherings.
She insisted that her visit was not a political rally but a chance to celebrate the Sallah holiday with her constituents.
“Yesterday, we heard on the news that rallies and gatherings would not be allowed, that roads would be blocked, and convoys leading into the state would be restricted. I knew we were the targets. But then I said, this is not political season, this is not campaign time,” Akpoti-Uduaghan said.
She continued, “We are not having a rally. This is just me, the Senator representing Kogi Central, coming down to her people to celebrate this festive time – the Sallah with you, and there is nothing wrong with that. I am breaking no law. This is Nigeria. We have the right to be free, to express our choice in gatherings and celebrations.”
The Kogi State Government quickly responded, condemning Akpoti-Uduaghan’s defiance of the ban. Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s administration had earlier imposed restrictions on political gatherings, citing security concerns and the need to maintain peace in the state.
In a statement released yesterday, Kogi’s Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, accused the senator of inciting chaos and attempting to destabilise the region.
Fanwo stated, “The attention of the Kogi State Government has been drawn to the reckless, malicious, and utterly false allegations made by the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan in her verified Facebook page, in which she claims that Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, former Governor Yahaya Bello, and the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio should be held responsible if anything happens to her.”
He continued, “This is yet another desperate and calculated attempt by an incurable liar and serial manipulator to mislead the public, inciting unrest, and presenting herself as a victim after deliberately violating the ban on political gatherings imposed by the State Government to maintain law and order.”
Fanwo further accused the senator of creating a climate of tension in the state.
“Her actions since the early hours of today have confirmed the authenticity of the security report that certain elements were planning to foment trouble 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,” he said.
The commissioner also denounced Akpoti-Uduaghan’s accusations that Senate President Godswill Akpabio, former Governor Yahaya Bello, and Governor Ododo were plotting against her.
“Her baseless allegations are nothing but a feeble attempt to stir unnecessary controversy and cover up her blatant disregard for the law,” Fanwo declared.
Earlier, Akpoti-Uduaghan had accused Akpabio and Bello of orchestrating her political troubles, including the ongoing process to recall her from the Senate. She claimed that Akpabio and Bello were behind the security threats she faced and alleged that Akpabio had even attempted to have her killed.
In her speech to the crowd, she said, “Let me say this now. On the 14th of March… Mind you, two days before that, on the 12th, Akpabio spoke to Governor Ododo to recall me, but he told him it won’t be possible because the masses are with me, the people are with me.”
She continued, “I was informed of everything. The meetings were twofold. They told him to begin my recall and that he was going to fund it. Of course, money changed hands that night. The second thing he told him was that he should try and kill me. I didn’t make this public, but I wrote to the police. I stand by what I’ve said.”
Despite her claims, the Kogi State Government dismissed these allegations as falsehoods aimed at winning public sympathy.
“Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan is not a victim; she is an instigator of disorder who thrives on spreading falsehoods to gain public sympathy,” Fanwo said.
The standoff between the senator and the Kogi State Government highlights the widening political divide in the region. Akpoti-Uduaghan, who has been suspended from the Senate amid the ongoing controversy with Akpabio, remains a polarising figure in Kogi politics. Her homecoming rally, despite the state-imposed ban, underscores her defiant stance and refusal to bow to what she perceives as political persecution.
The situation remains tense, with both sides preparing for the potential escalation of events. The Kogi State Government has vowed to hold Akpoti-Uduaghan accountable for any violence or unrest caused by her defiance of the law.
In response, Akpoti-Uduaghan has made it clear that she will not be intimidated by the government or its actions, continuing to insist that she is the victim of a political witch hunt.
Furthermore, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), a prominent pro-democracy advocacy group, has condemned the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Kogi State Government for what it deems a politically motivated attempt to frustrate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
HURIWA, in a press release, accused the Kogi State Police Command and the state government, led by Governor Usman Ododo, of conspiring to prevent the suspended senator from visiting her home and engaging with her constituents in Kogi State.
According to the organisation, the actions taken against Akpoti-Uduaghan represent an abuse of power designed to stifle her rights to freedom of movement and peaceful assembly.
“HURIWA is appalled that the Nigeria Police Force, a constitutional institution meant to serve the common good, has instead become an ‘attack dog’ and further deteriorated into the ‘lapdog’ of the All Progressives Congress (APC),” the statement read.
The group also called on the police to distance itself from partisan politics and to fulfil its constitutional duties as an independent and professional body, as required by the Police Act of 2020.
HURIWA condemned the Kogi State Police Command for blindly following the political directives of the APC-led government, undermining the law in the process.
“Why should the Kogi State Police Command blindly follow the political directives of the APC governor, abusing the Police Act and using politically motivated tactics to stop Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan from exercising her fundamental rights—freedom of movement, peaceful assembly, and expression?” HURIWA questioned.
The organisation also demanded an investigation into the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, insisting that he provide evidence of the supposed security threats that justified the crackdown on Akpoti-Uduaghan’s rally.
The accusations from HURIWA come in the wake of the Kogi State Government’s sudden imposition of a ban on public rallies and gatherings, announced just 48 hours before Akpoti-Uduaghan’s planned homecoming event.
The government cited security concerns, claiming that incidents in the Kogi Local Government Area had led to fatalities, and that the ban also extended to other activities like fishing. Commissioner for Information Kingsley Fanwo defended the decision, stating that it was a preventive measure against potential security threats.
On the same day, the Kogi State Police Command ordered the cancellation of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s rally, citing an “intelligence report” that warned of the potential for the event to be hijacked by hoodlums, which could disrupt the peace in the state.
Police spokesperson William Aya stated, “Intelligence reveals that some hoodlums plan to hijack the process and cause a disturbance of peace in the state. The command cannot afford to jeopardize the existing peace currently being enjoyed.”
However, HURIWA rejected these claims as a “primitive and unconstitutional misuse of police powers” and accused the Kogi State Police of acting as enforcers of the APC’s political agenda rather than maintaining law and order.
“The Kogi State Police Command has transformed into the ‘official lapdog’ and ‘attack dog’ of the APC. This is absolutely despicable and condemnable,” HURIWA’s statement concluded.