Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, has condemned suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for defying the ban on public gatherings in the state and for making wild allegations about an attempt to assassinate her by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, ex-governor, Yahaya Bello and Ododo.
Despite restrictions placed on rallies in Kogi State by the state Governor, police and the Chairman of Okehi Local Government, allegedly due to security concerns, Akpoti-Uduaghan held a Sallah rally in her home in Okehi on Tuesday.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s visit comes amid an ongoing feud with Senate President Akpabio, following her recent allegations of sexual harassment against him.
After submitting a petition to the Senate, the Ethics Committee threw out her petition for procedural errors.
The committee subsequently suspended her for six months without pay.
The senator has since been agitating for reinstatement.
Ahead of her visit to her home on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan warned that any attack on her or her supporters should be attributed to Akpabio, Governor Ododo, and former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello.
Posting on Facebook, she stated:
“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.”
She arrived in Okehi at 11 am via helicopter, accompanied by her husband, Emmanuel Uduaghan.
Thousands of supporters cheered as she addressed them in the Ebira language, reaffirming her commitment to justice despite threats and intimidation.
She alleged that plans to assassinate her were discussed in a secret meeting involving Yahaya Bello and another senator.
Akpoti-Uduaghan also accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of assisting efforts to recall her from the Senate, claiming that the petition was fraudulent and signed by fictitious individuals.
She criticized the ban on public gatherings, asserting, “I am an Ebira woman. This is my land. I am not breaking any law by visiting my people during Sallah. We arrived by helicopter, not by road, to avoid violating any restrictions.”
The Kogi State Government dismissed her claims as “reckless and malicious,” accusing her of trying to incite unrest.
In a statement, the Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, said:
“This is another desperate attempt by a serial manipulator to mislead the public and present herself as a victim. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s visit was deliberately designed to stir trouble in Kogi Central. The state government will not tolerate actions that threaten public peace.”
The statement also alleged that Akpoti-Uduaghan deleted her Facebook post after realizing its potential consequences but noted that the government had retained a screenshot of it.
Meanwhile, Akpabio’s media aide, Eseme Eyiboh, refused to engage in discussions about the senator, stating, “Anything concerning Natasha is subjudice as it relates to the President of the Senate, who is a party to the suit.”
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) condemned the actions of the Kogi State Police Command and the state government, accusing them of politically motivated interference in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s visit.
HURIWA argued that the ban on gatherings was a tactical move to prevent her from reuniting with her constituents and urged the Nigeria Police Force to remain impartial in political matters.
