The Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, says he accepts an Appeal Court judgement affirming Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as the duly elected candidate for his Kogi Central Senatorial District.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) governor, who spoke on Tuesday at the Aso Villa, congratulated Akpoti-Uduaghan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and everyone who participated in the democratic process.
He called on everyone in Kogi State to accept the court’s decision, claiming that, that is the beauty of democracy for winners and losers to emerge in elections.
The governor also claimed that Natasha is her sister as all efforts shoukd be geared at developing the Senatorial district, the state and the country as a whole.
He therefore, called on the people of the state, particularly in Kogi Central where he comes from, to accept the court’s decision and remain law-abiding.
Bello emphasized that Akpoti-Uduaghan and Abubakar Saddiq who has now lost his seat as the senator representing the zone as well as himself are relations and have no need to quarrel.
He said that it behooves him as the governor to ensure that everyone lives in peace and harmony in the state.
But the ‘congratulatory message and complementary’ comments by Bello did not go down well with the Senator-elect after watching the video clip showed by the Anchor of the Politics Today, program.
According to her, “beauty of democracy is not killing and maiming opponents, it’s not preventing and intimidating electorate from voting candidates of their choice, it’s not thuggery, among others.
Specifically, Natasha expressed regrets over the recent demise of the paramount ruler of Egbira land, the Ohinoyi of Egbira Land.
The Senator elect revealed that she’s in a mourning mood because two days ago, they lost the Ohinoyi (royal majesty) of Ebira Land.
According to her, she wished he was alive to witness a day like this where she would be confirmed as the senator because he was persecuted and attacked for her sake.
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In the interview with Channels Television, Natasha Akpoti mentioned that the Ohinoyi was on the brink of being deposed from his position but was saved due to the intervention of the immediate past president, Buhari.
According to her, “I’ll say this today; I’m pretty much in a mourning mood because two days ago, we lost his royal majesty, the Ohinoyi of Ebira Land. He was like a father to me; I’ve known him pretty much all my life. I wish he was alive to witness this day because he was a pillar; he was persecuted; he was attacked for my sake. His palace was burnt, and he was at the point of being deposed if not for the intervention of the immediate past president, Buhari. A lot went on that we couldn’t even put before the media because it was more like, I didn’t want to seem as if I was everyday 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; I had to show strength.”
Reminded to be wary of weighty and unsubstantiated allegations of threats to lives, Natasha insisted that as a lawyer, she knows and believes what she was saying, claiming that they are in public space.
She alleged, for instance, that attempts were made on her life, while also, attempts were made to prevent her and her supporters from voting on the election day, adding that it was cheer determination that made them to surmount all the challenges and they went out to vote.