The political landscape in Kogi State shifted dramatically on Tuesday when suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan defied a state-imposed ban on rallies and public gatherings to visit her constituency. Her controversial homecoming, amid escalating tensions, sparked sharp rebukes from political adversaries and state officials after she claimed there was a conspiracy to assassinate her.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Kogi State Governor Usman Ododo condemned Akpoti-Uduaghan, accusing her of flouting legal restrictions and worsening an already volatile situation. Despite the state government’s prohibition on rallies in Kogi Central—citing security risks—and a curfew enforced by the Okehi Local Government Chairman, the senator arrived at her Okehi residence to a warm welcome from thousands of supporters. She organized the event as a Sallah celebration, brushing aside the restrictions.
The visit follows weeks of a heated feud between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio, ignited by her earlier accusation of sexual harassment against him. Her petition to the Senate was dismissed by the Ethics Committee on March 6, resulting in a six-month suspension without pay. Ahead of Tuesday’s event, she took to Facebook, urging Nigerians to hold Akpabio, Governor Ododo, and former Governor Yahaya Bello accountable if any harm came to her or her supporters, writing, “Should we be met with or infiltrated by violence, Nigerians should hold Gov Òdodo, Yahaya Bello & SP Godswill Akpabio wholly responsible.”
Landing in Okehi by helicopter at 11 a.m. with her husband, Emmanuel Uduaghan, Akpoti-Uduaghan was greeted by enthusiastic constituents singing in Ebira. Addressing the crowd, she expressed gratitude and defiance: “No amount of threats or intimidation will silence my voice in seeking justice.” She alleged a plot to kill her, claiming Akpabio had instructed Bello during a meeting at the Hilton to orchestrate her assassination in Ebira land and fund her recall from the Senate. “I called on the media to publish this ahead of time,” she said, aiming to preempt the alleged scheme.
Akpoti-Uduaghan also accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of aiding a recall effort against her, alleging that 250,000 signatures were gathered in two days by exploiting illiterate and impoverished constituents with false promises of empowerment. “They took advantage of our women’s illiteracy and poverty,” she charged, vowing that the recall would fail.
Defending her defiance of the rally ban, she asserted, “I am an Ebira woman, the daughter of the late Jimoh Abdul Akpoti. This is my land, and I’m not afraid of anybody. I’m just a simple, poor Ebira girl who grew up here.” She argued that her gathering was a lawful celebration, not a political rally, stating, “There’s no law in Nigeria’s constitution that prohibits me from coming home to celebrate Sallah with my people. We’re gathered in our home, not on the street, and we broke no law by arriving via helicopter.”
The Kogi State Government had banned rallies on Monday, citing “security reports,” a move some analysts saw as an attempt to block the senator’s visit. The Kogi Police Command echoed this, warning her against the event, with Commissioner Miller Dantawaye citing the state’s directive. Okehi LG Chairman Amoka Monday also imposed a curfew on Tuesday morning.
In response, the state government, via Commissioner for Information Kingsley Fanwo, labeled Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims “reckless, malicious, and utterly false.” Fanwo accused her of inciting unrest and violating the ban to provoke chaos, noting that she deleted her inflammatory Facebook post after posting it. “Her actions confirm security reports of plans to foment trouble in Kogi Central,” he said, adding, “Governor Ododo has no interest in her political theatrics. She’s an instigator of disorder thriving on falsehoods to gain sympathy.” The government vowed to hold her accountable for any resulting violence.
Akpabio, meanwhile, declined to engage directly, with his aide Eseme Eyiboh telling The PUNCH that the matter was subjudice. “Her continued accusations show her level of respect for the rule of law,” Eyiboh remarked.
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) condemned the state government and police, accusing them of politically motivated interference. In a statement, National Coordinator Emmanuel Onwubiko criticized the police as an “attack dog” of the All Progressives Congress (APC), urging the force to operate neutrally under the Constitution and Police Act of 2020, rather than serving as “official vigilantes” for the ruling party.
As tensions simmer, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s bold move has deepened the political rift in Kogi State, spotlighting a clash between individual rights, state authority, and allegations of high-stakes conspiracy.
