Suspended Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has said her resort to the use of helicopter to her hometown was her husband’s idea.
Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan disclosed this on Thursday when she appeared on “Politics Today,” a programme on Channels Television.
The senator had on Tuesday flew into her hometown, Ihima in Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State, where she addressed a large crowd of supporters.
A day before the trip, the state government had placed a ban on political rallies and public gatherings, citing security concerns.
The police command in the state also noted it had credible intelligence that hoodlums planned to hijack the gathering to unleash mayhem.
Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan and her supporters, however, defied this ban to hold the gathering.
She explained that several checkpoints had been erected on the way to her hometown, prompting her to explore other options until her husband suggested that they used a helicopter.
The lawmaker landed and left the state by helicopter.
“It was my husband’s idea. You know they blocked all the roads leading to my house so my husband suggested we fly with a helicopter,” she said, claiming that she was the target of the restriction.
‘I broke no law’
The embattled lawmaker maintained that she did not break any law during her homecoming gathering and visit to the state.
“There was no law broken and I don’t think the state governor has the right to dictate what I speak and how I speak to my people.’’
She explained that several checkpoints had been erected on the way to her hometown, prompting her to explore other options until her husband suggested that they used a helicopter.
Relationship with Gov Ododo
On her relationship with the state governor, Usman Ododo, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan said “I thought we were cool, until he took heed of ex-Governor Yahaya Bello’s request, which was to align with my recall.”
She said at least four of the 14 individuals who signed the cover page of the petition for her recall were Mr Ododo’s aides, adding that the governor gave approval for the process.
“I was actually surprised at that, and if you watched my speech at my hometown, I did mention that the senate president first called on Governor Ododo to commence my recall, but he turned that down. And later on, two days after, on the 14th day of March this year, Godswill Akpabio called on Yahaya Bello to commence my recall. And what did Yahaya Bello do? He tasked Ododo, and Ododo could not say no…The first cover letter were all signed by special advisers to Ododo himself,’ she said.
Thumbs-up for INEC
The lawmaker appreciated INEC for throwing out the petition seeking her recall, noting that the petition should’ve been thrown out earlier.
She said her team checked at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and found that the group that wrote the petition was not registered and that the address given by the petitioners does not exist.
“The address provided there is number four, Oboroke, Kogi State. I bet you there is no address like that. Oboroke is just five minutes away from me. I did send people there. There is no address. Most of the streets in my hometown are not labeled,” she said.
“What I’m going to say is, even though INEC did count 208 signatures, I bet you, if they had gone into the next stage –the verification stage, they would have struggled to even have 500 people come out to attest to signing that.
Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan said she is not worried about a recall even if the petitioners restart the process again.
“I’m not worried because I trust my people, and my people connect with me,” she said.
“They resonate with the idea that I project, and they are actually very happy with the manner in which I have represented them. They are very happy with me. My election was not one that was apolitical. It wasn’t just PDP that voted for me. Even the APC card carrying members and other parties voted for me.”
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