The suspended senator representing Kogi Central senatorial district, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, defied the ban on large gathering imposed on the state by the state government as she yesterday visited her constituency.
The senator maintained that she did not break any law saying she remains a law-abiding person and not a lawbreaker as being allegedly painted by her detractors.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan who stated this on Tuesday during a Sallah get together with her constituents in her country home, Ihima, in Okehi local government area, said she has not violated the directive of the state governor, Alhaji Usman Ododo, as there were no street rallies or convoys.
“I’m not a lawbreaker. I appreciate the governor’s orders. We came by helicopter and not by road. No convoy; we are not in the streets, so we didn’t break the law,” She stated.
Earlier, the senator had declared through her social media handle that “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 Òdodo, Yahaya Bello and SP Godswill Akpabio wholly responsible.”
Addressing hundreds of her supporters at her residence shortly after her arrival, she said no amount of threats and intimidation would silence her voice in seeking justice.
“I’m an Ebira woman, the daughter of Akpoti; they tried to stop me from coming home. We own Ebira together,” she said, adding that no one would stop her from travelling home.
“Senator Asukwo drove Yahaya Bello to Hilton and the meeting was in two folds. He told him to commence my recall and that he was going to sponsor it. Of course, money changed hands that night.
“The second thing he told him is that he should try and kill me. He told him the killing should not be done in Abuja but it should be done at home here,” she alleged.
The Senator lamented how the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) helped the petitioners to perfect their petition, describing the petitioners as APC members with unidentified names, beginning with Kogi Central political frontiers with a fictitious address that is not traceable.
She called on the world, Nigerians and INEC to explain how in two days 250,000 petitioners could sign a recall petition.
“We saw what happened. They came around and deceived our people that they have empowerment for them with their PVCs; they took advantage of our women’s illiteracy; they took advantage of poverty. I know they will not succeed by the grace of God. The recall will not be successful,” she said.
She pointed out that she is amongst people who are trying, as difficult as it is, to strengthen some of the nation’s institutions. She said, regardless of the threat, Nigerians should join her in the struggle even as she will not fold her arms.
The Senator alleged that INEC has compromised by wanting to help the petitioners perfect their petition and called on the people of Kogi Central to resist falsehoods and the intimidation.
She urged them to stand up for their rights whenever INEC calls for verification by doing what is right to challenge those who do not mean well for the people of the district.
The Senator expressed appreciation to the people for the rousing reception, saying it has emboldened her in her struggle for justice. She maintained that it is time for institutions like the Judiciary and INEC to justify the confidence of Nigerians.
However, Kogi State government has taken a swipe at Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over an alleged attempt to mislead the public and incite unrest.
Natasha had posted on her verified Facebook Page claiming 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 during her Sallah visit.
In a statement signed by the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, the state government described her post on social media as reckless, malicious and an utterly false allegation.
The state government said the statement made by Natasha was yet another “desperate and calculated attempt by an incurable liar and serial manipulator to mislead the public, incite unrest and present herself as a victim after deliberately violating the ban on political gatherings imposed by the state government to maintain law and order.
The statement said Governor Ododo has no interest in the political theatrics of the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan
The statement called on people of Kogi State and Nigerians at large to see through the senator’s deceptive ploys and reject her attempt to manipulate public perception with outright lies.
The state government called on security agencies to take note of the Senator’s reckless utterances and inflammatory actions that pose a serious threat to peace and stability in the state, adding that she should be held accountable for her blatant attempts to incite violence and cause unnecessary tension.
