…Insists no law was broken
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has disclosed how she arrived at the decision to fly in a helicopter to her hometown in Kogi State to pay a Sallah visit to her Kogi-Central constituents, saying it was her husband’s idea.
She added that she also planned to beat the alleged plot by the Kogi State Government to stop her from visiting the constituency for political reasons.
Speaking on an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Akpoti-Uduaghan said when the government suddenly announced a ban on rallies, political gatherings and driving in convoys in the state, citing security reasons, she immediately realised that she was the target.
She added that she and her husband examined the situation and came up with their counter strategy that would achieved both the aims of ensuring that she got home and also not breaching the laws or directives of the state government.
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Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan stated, “The helicopter; that was my husband’s idea. It was a late-minute thing. We wanted to celebrate Sallah with my constituents, which I always do even before I became a senator.
“I usually send down some materials, some grains for them to share and the last few days of Sallah, I do spend with them. But in the wake of events, I couldn’t go earlier. I said you know what, these last few days I should be with them, and then I sent notifications.
“Just as the notifications went out, we read a press release from Governor (Usman) Ododo, through the Commissioner for Information, Kingsley, that there was a ban on gatherings, rallies and convoys getting into the state and a ban on fishing activity and all sorts of water activities.
“I knew I was the target; come on! Relatively, the state had been peaceful, so there were no security concerns. I was wondering where that came from but I knew I was the target.
“Also I have seen a list of checkpoints preventing entry into my Senatorial District- like all the roads were barricaded.
“I knew there was going to be trouble. So, my husband was like, you know, we can get a helicopter. And we do own the land opposite our village home. And that was how we got in.”
She added that, with the helicopter, she broke no laws or disobeyed the government, since it said there must be no convoys of cars.
She also explained that where the chopper landed was just close to her family home, which means that she could simply take a walk from the site to her home, where people were waiting to welcome her.
Akpoti-Uduaghan further stated that the road linking the site to the residence was constructed by her and not a facility of the state government.
“With that move we broke no law, and the people gathered in my compound. On the road you saw me walking through, I constructed that road: it’s not a government facility. So, I broke no law.
“I am a good citizen of Nigeria and a law abiding one at that. I am sure you can attest to that”, she added.
On the move earlier made by voters in her constituency to recall her, Akpoti-Uduaghan expressed surprise that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) entertained the petition in the first place, arguing that it lacked merit.
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