Kogi: Yahaya Bello’s men tried to kill me during election – Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

The Senator-Elect for Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has alleged that the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, made an attempt to harm her during the senatorial election in March. She claimed that the governor’s associates opened fire on her vehicle during the incident.

During her appearance on Tuesday’s episode of Channels Television’s Politics Today, Akpoti-Uduaghan detailed the incident: “I heard gunshots; his henchmen fired at my vehicle; I possess video evidence of that. It was the immediate past, they were wearing APC shirts, and one of them was Amoka, who served as the returning officer for Okehi local government. He led the group of ten men who fired at me, and I have video footage of the incident.”

Expressing her concerns, the senator-elect criticized the governor’s recent acknowledgment of her victory as the duly elected candidate for Kogi Central. She pointed out the inconsistency of endangering lives and referring to it as the “beauty of democracy.” She said, “He said this is the beauty of politics; this is not the beauty of politics. You don’t endanger people, you don’t set out to harm people, destroy property, or disrupt the electoral process merely to secure your candidate’s victory and call it ‘the beauty of democracy.'”

Akpoti-Uduaghan also accused the governor of deliberately obstructing essential routes within the state to hinder the smooth conduct of the election. She added, “Moreover, the governor obstructed roads. A day before the election, he dug gullies and cut five roads. This was clearly an attempt to prevent the election from taking place, possibly endangering my life. It was the day before the election, but fortunately, we had bulldozers, and we worked all night to cover the gullies so the election could proceed.”

Despite the challenges she faced, the politician emphasized her determination not to project a vulnerable image for women involved in or aspiring to engage in political leadership. She stated, “A lot happened that we didn’t even bring before the media because I didn’t want to appear as if I was constantly seeking help. I needed to demonstrate strength, not to discourage other women like me from entering politics and thinking, ‘It’s too violent, it’s too volatile.'”