Politics
Senator-Elect Natasha Akpoti Accuses Yahaya Bello Of Plotting To Kill Her, Rejects Congratulatory Message
The Senator-Elect of Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has accused Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, of a plot to harm her during the senatorial election that took place in March.
She made the allegation on Tuesday’s edition of Channels Television’s Politics Today.
Following the Appeal Court judgement that upheld her victory at the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, Bello sent out a congratulatory message to the lawmaker.
Bello congratulated the former PDP governorship candidate after participating in the National Police Council meeting at the Presidential Villa Abuja on Tuesday.
He described Natasha as his sister, adding that it was necessary for him to accept the court verdict on Natasha’s victory to avoid a breakdown of law and order in the state.
However, Natasha, who appeared on Channels Television on Tuesday evening, accused the governor of having attempted to kill her on different occasions, insisting that the Kogi State helmsman does not know what democracy is about.
“I heard guns; I had his henchmen shoot at my vehicle; I have video evidence of that,” she said.
“It was the immediate past; they were adorned in APC shirts and one of them was Amoka; he was actually the returning officer for Okehi local government. He led the group of ten men to shoot at me, I have the video captured in that.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan expressed concerns regarding the governor’s recent statement where he acknowledged her victory as the duly elected candidate for Kogi Central.
She criticized the governor’s remarks, highlighting the inconsistency of endangering people’s lives and labeling it as the ‘beauty of democracy.’
“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 kill people, you don’t destroy properties, and you don’t frustrate the electoral process just because you want your candidate to win and call it ‘the beauty of democracy’,” she said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan additionally alleged that the governor deliberately disrupted essential routes within the state to impede the seamless progress of the election.
“Apart from that, the governor actually thwarts roads. The governor, a day before the election, cut five – he dug gullies, cutting five roads. That was just to prevent the election from taking place, probably endangering my life,” she added.
“It was a day to the election but thank God we had the payloaders and I went all night, we had to cover the gullies so that the election could take place.”
Despite the threats and challenges she faced, Akpoti-Uduaghan maintained she had to demonstrate her resilience to ensure that she did not portray an image of vulnerability for women involved in or aspiring to engage in political leadership.
“A lot went on that we couldn’t even put before the media because I didn’t want to seem as if I was every day, crying for help. I needed to show strength; I didn’t want to discourage other women like me from entering politics and thinking, ‘Oh, it’s too violent, it’s too volatile’,” she maintained.
“I had to show strength; that was why I did not tell every part of this story; it was so much more than the world knows.”
As of the time of this report, Governor Bello’s team is yet to comment on the matter.
She also spoke about her victory, saying despite an earlier verdict affirming her election, she was unsure if the judgment would be upheld.
“I am twice lucky. Up until I was declared the winner, I wasn’t absolutely sure that I was going to have the appellate court grant me victory because, this is Nigeria, anything can happen,” she said.
“I really praise the judiciary for having the courage to stand forth through the event that took place, by going through the documents diligently and affirming me as the winner. I want to bring the best innovation in leadership closer to the people.”
The Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, has initiated impeachment proceedings against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Ngozi Odu, issuing them a seven-day notice to respond to allegations of gross misconduct.
The Assembly cited eight specific allegations of gross misconduct as the basis for the move.
This is the third time Fubara and Odu would be facing impeachment proceedings from the Assembly since coming to office in 2023.
Attempts to impeach them in 2023 and 2025, amid political feuds between the Governor and his predecessor and erstwhile political god-father, now Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, had been halted by presidential intervention.
Here are the allegations below:
1. Reckless and unconstitutional expenditure of public funds
2. Unconstitutional misappropriation of public funds
3. Hindering the Rivers Assembly from performing its constitutional duties
4. Illegal appointments of persons without screening by the House of Assembly as provided by the Constitution
5. Seizure of salaries and funds meant for Assembly members
6. Seizure of salaries of the clerk of the Rivers House of Assembly, Emeka Amadi
7. Refusal to implement provisions of the Constitution on financial autonomy of the legislature and the judiciary
8. Withholding of funds meant for the running of the Rivers House of Assembly Service Commission and hindering its activities
Lilian Adebayo, the wife of the 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, has said that the party will unseat the ruling All Progressive Party at the 2027 election if Nigerians are true to themselves.
Mrs Adebayo made this assertion known on Wednesday during an interview with journalists after an event in Abuja.
According to her, the opposition party has overcome its crisis after the expulsion of its former chairman, Shehu Gabam and others.
She said Nigerians should vote the APC out in the 2027 general election due to the hardship the party has plunged citizens into.
“There is always a crisis in the party; the SPD has been able to handle its own. The problems in the party have been resolved.
“He has a great chance of winning the election if Nigerians are honest with themselves. If Nigerians think that the ones they consistently vote for would move the country forward, they live in denial,” she concerning the husband.
Recall that SDP recently expelled Gabam and other party executives.
The party’s state chairmen on Wednesday urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the police to investigate Gabam over alleged misappropriation.
In a significant political move, Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday, October 14, 2025.
Mbah announced his decision during a televised broadcast in Enugu after weeks of speculation.
He said, “Today, after a long reflection, we have made the decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party and join the All Progressives Congress.”
Mbah explained that his decision to join the PDP was informed by the need to reshape Enugu and reorganise the politics of the state.
“Today, I stand before you to announce a break from the past and to share a decision that will shape the road ahead. This concerns our values, how we organize ourselves politically and how we secure the future of our project and our people.
“Leadership sometimes demands painful decisions in the service of higher principles and goals. And there comes a time, when everyone must make a bold choice to determine their destiny.”
Ahead of the governor’s defection, all members of his cabinet had on joined the ruling party.
Governor Mbah’s Senior Media Aide, Dan Nwomeh, confirmed the mass defection in a video posted on his social media handles on Monday. In the video, several government officials were seen openly declaring their allegiance to the APC, chanting praises for President Bola Tinubu and affirming their commitment to the new party.
“Enugu State Cabinet Members join the APC with full chest along with Governor PN Mbah,” Nwomeh stated.
The officials, including commissioners and top aides, could be heard in the video declaring, “We are now in APC; tomorrow is here; it is APC all the way; it is Jagaban all the way; from top to bottom.”
The collective defection marks a significant political shift in Enugu State, which has been a PDP stronghold since 1999.
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