By Kingston Magare 1/4/2025
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and her supporters Tuesday defied warnings by the Kogi State governor Ahmed Ododo and the police to stay away from a home coming “Sallah rally” in the Kogi Central representative’s hometown.
Hundreds of supporters were seen stomping for the embattled Senator who is under suspension and being threatened with a recall by faceless constituents from the Senate. The police had urged Akpoti-Uduaghan to cancel the rally in Ihima her hometown in Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State. A curfew was imposed by the police on the town in what observers see as political intimidation of the Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.
She arrived her hometown in a chopper and joined her supporters who had been out in the streets dancing and singing in her honour. Speaking at the rally she noted that it was a constitutionally guaranteed right for her and her supporters to gather and were not breaking any law.
“Yesterday, we heard on the news that rallies and gatherings will not be allowed, that roads will be blocked, and convoys leading into the state will not be allowed. I knew that we were the targets. But then I said, this is not political season, this is not campaign time,” Akpoti-Uduaghan told the crowd of supporters and constituents.
“We are not having a rally. This is just me, the Senator representing Kogi Central, coming down to her people to celebrate this festive time – the Sallah with you, and there is nothing wrong with that. I am breaking no law. This is Nigeria. We have the right to be free, to express our choice in gatherings and celebrations.”