Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan,
By Akeem Atoyebi
The Kogi state government criticised the allegations made by suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, describing them as “reckless, malicious, and utterly false.”
The government also enjoined security agencies to keep tabs on monitor Akpoti-Uduaghan’s “reckless utterances and inflammatory actions,” noting that she should be held accountable for any attempts to incite violence.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo, the government waved aside Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims that Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, former Governor Yahaya Bello, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio should be held responsible if anything happens to her.
Fanwo stated that her allegations were nothing but “another desperate and calculated attempt by an incurable liar and serial manipulator to mislead the public, incite unrest, and present herself as a victim.”
He noted that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s actions were an infraction on the state government’s ban on political gatherings, which was imposed to maintain law and order.
He further accused the senator of attempting to use her visit to “stir trouble and violence in Kogi Central Senatorial District.”
“We will not allow any part of the state to go up in flames nor permit the killing of innocent souls by the actions of the suspended Senator,” the statement read in part.
Fanwo also claimed that despite deleting her post accusing the government of endangering her life, screenshots had been taken before its removal. He maintained that security reports had earlier indicated plans by “certain elements” to cause unrest in Kogi Central.
“Let it be categorically stated that Governor Ododo has no interest in the political theatrics of the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. Her baseless allegations are nothing but a feeble attempt to stir unnecessary controversy and cover up her blatant disregard for the law,” he stated.
He accused the senator of a “pattern of lawlessness” and using deceit to gain public sympathy. He maintained that her alleged defiance of security directives had made her a “security threat” in the state.
“The people of Kogi State and Nigerians at large should see through her deceptive ploys and reject her attempt to manipulate public perception with outright lies. Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is not a victim; she is an instigator of disorder who thrives on spreading falsehoods to gain public sympathy,” he said.
