Political unrest in Kogi State reached a boiling point on Tuesday following suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s defiant visit to her constituency, despite a state-wide ban on rallies and public gatherings.
The controversial move has sparked fierce reactions from both state authorities and her political adversaries.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was suspended from the Senate after accusing Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment, arrived in Okehi via helicopter with her husband, defying a curfew and rally ban imposed due to security concerns.
Despite the restrictions, she was greeted by thousands of enthusiastic supporters, celebrating the Sallah holiday together.
The senator’s arrival and rally quickly escalated tensions, with both Senate President Akpabio and Kogi Governor Usman Ododo condemning her actions.
Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed she was the target of an assassination plot, implicating Akpabio, Governor Ododo, and former Governor Yahaya Bello in a conspiracy.
She alleged that a plot to recall her, orchestrated by the ruling APC, involved fraudulent petitions and manipulation of vulnerable constituents.
In response, Kogi State officials denounced Akpoti-Uduaghan’s accusations, calling them “malicious” and an attempt to incite unrest.
The state government dismissed her claims, stating that she violated the rally ban deliberately to provoke chaos and instill fear among the public. They reiterated that the senator was responsible for any violence that might follow her defiance of the law.
As the political drama unfolds, Kogi State remains on edge, with both sides trading accusations in a bitter battle for control of the state’s future. The situation has raised concerns about the stability of the region as tensions simmer ahead of the upcoming elections.
