The suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has accused former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello of orchestrating a recall process against her, labeling it a politically motivated attack backed by fake constituents. In a statement released on Wednesday, the lawmaker alleged that Senate President Godswill Akpabio is collaborating with Bello to undermine her mandate, challenging the former governor to reveal the source of the supposed constituents pushing for her recall.
Akpoti-Uduaghan�s claims come amid a groundswell of support from her constituents, who defied a state government ban on rallies and processions to give her a rousing welcome on Tuesday in Ihima, Okehi Local Government Area (LGA). Thousands of supporters from the five LGAs of Kogi Central gathered to express solidarity with the senator, who has been locked in a bitter political feud with Bello.
In her statement, the senator pointed to Bello�s alleged history of aggression against her, citing multiple attacks she claims he sponsored before and during the 2023 general elections. �All available evidence and facts point directly to Bello as the mastermind behind the recall move,� she asserted. �His actions before and during the last general elections, where he sponsored numerous attacks against me, are well documented. This recall attempt is nothing but another ploy to undermine the people�s will.�
Akpoti-Uduaghan further urged Bello to shift his focus to addressing the corruption allegations leveled against him, including the reported fraudulent diversion of ?89.2 billion during his tenure as governor. �I will advise the former governor to rather focus on clearing his name over allegations of fraudulent diversion of ?89.2 billion, instead of attempting to destabilize the mandate given to me by the people of Kogi Central,� she said. �His hands are already full with corruption allegations, yet he is still bent on frustrating the will of the people.�
The senator hailed the resilience of her supporters, who turned out in large numbers despite government restrictions. �It is now very clear to the whole world how popular I am in my constituency,� she stated. �The powers that be did try to suppress the will of the people, but my people emphatically said no. No to injustice, no to exploitation of women, no to fake recall, no to Yahaya Bello and his allies.�
She expressed gratitude to her constituents for their �massive show of love� and took a swipe at her detractors, noting, �We also thank our oppressors because their actions have now made them more unpopular while we gained more support.�
The allegations and the public show of support underscore the deepening political tensions in Kogi Central, as Akpoti-Uduaghan vows to resist what she describes as an unjust campaign to unseat her. Neither Bello nor Akpabio has responded to the senator�s claims as of the time of this report.
