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By Tijani Labaran Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan yesterday defied the Kogi State government’s ban on rallies and a police directive restricting public gatherings as she held a homecoming rally in Ihima, Okehi Local Government Area, amid efforts to recall her from the Senate. Despite the ban and a curfew imposed in Okehi, thousands of her supporters turned out to welcome her. She arrived by helicopter around 1 p.
m. to chants of solidarity from an excited crowd carrying placards. Addressing her supporters in Ebira, Akpoti-Uduaghan reaffirmed her commitment to her constituents and dismissed attempts to intimidate her.
“I’m not a lawbreaker. We respected the governor’s order by coming by helicopter instead of by road, avoiding convoys and street gatherings. But nobody can stop me from coming home to celebrate Sallah with my people.
This is my town, and I am the daughter of the late Dr. Jimoh Abdul Akpoti. I know my roots; I’m not a bastard, and I’m not afraid of anybody,” she declared.
Earlier on Tuesday, her media team dismissed reports that she had canceled the visit due to government restrictions, affirming that she would celebrate Eid with her constituents as planned. According to one of her supporters, Aliyu Adeiza, the senator’s public assurance rekindled their hope. “We are here at Ihima to tell the world that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is our leader, and we still love her.
We were not induced to be here; we are here out of love and appreciation for her leadership,” he said. The Kogi State Police Command had banned all political rallies, citing intelligence reports that some individuals planned to hijack such gatherings to incite violence. Police spokesperson ASP William Aya said in a statement on Tuesday that the command could not risk jeopardizing the peace currently enjoyed in the state.
Similarly, the Kogi State government announced a ban on public gatherings and security convoys on Monday, citing security concerns. Okehi LGA Chairman Amoka Eneji also declared a curfew, restricting movement and unauthorized gatherings. “Anyone found gathering or walking around restricted areas without permission from the relevant authorities will be arrested and charged to court,” he said.
Reacting to the rally, the Kogi State government claimed that the senator had flouted the law and would face consequences. “She has committed an offence by holding a procession when the state government, acting on credible intelligence, directed that there should be no procession. She also addressed a rally to incite people against constituted authority at the federal and state levels, creating panic and tension and attempting to spark a crisis.
That is a clear violation of the state government’s directive,” Kingsley Fanwo, the state commissioner for information, said on Channels TV. Daily Trust reports that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s defiance of the ban comes amid an ongoing recall effort against her. She was recently suspended from the Senate for six months over alleged breaches of Senate Standing Orders and later accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment.
Following her suspension, some of her constituents initiated a recall process, citing reasons such as poor representation, personal ego, and failure to empower her constituency. On March 26, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirmed receiving a recall petition signed by 250,000 voters out of the 488,000 registered in Kogi Central. Despite these challenges, Akpoti-Uduaghan remains resolute, insisting that she will continue to serve her people.
Her supporters say her show of strength at the rally signals her determination to fight back against the recall move while reinforcing her political influence in Kogi Central. Last night, the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, described Natasha as being manipulative. “Her baseless allegations are nothing but a feeble attempt to stir unnecessary controversy and cover up her blatant disregard for the law.
She has once again proven that she has no respect for rules and the laws. “This is 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. “We will not allow any part of the state to go up in flames or permit killing of innocent souls by the actions of the suspended Senator”, the statement read.
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