By; AMOS TAUNA, Kaduna
The Arewa Women in Politics (AWP), a network of active women in politics from various political parties, mainly of Northern Nigeria extraction, has alleged with grave concerned the deliberate effort of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State to silence Barrister Natasha Hadiza Akpoti-Uduaghan, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Candidate for Kogi Central Senatorial District.
The women believe that the renewed all round attack on her is not unconnected with her rising popularity amongst her constituents.
The spokesperson of the group, Blessing John, while addressing newsmen in Kaduna on Monday, said, “Natasha has remained a lone voice in the wilderness of Kogi polity, speaking against the non performance of Governor Yahaya Bello, who took over the reign of Kogi State as a result of divine accident. His renewed mandate was gotten at gun point, which produced sounds and blood akin to Nigeria civil war.”
She added, “Since the signing into law of the amended 2022 Electoral Act by President Muhammadu Buhari, the desperate and non performing governor has realized that it won’t be business as usual, hence, his resort to shortcut, urging security agencies to arrest and detain Natasha for what we believe, her only offence is the fact that she is contesting against the unpopular candidate of the governor and always speaking truth to power, not minding whose ox is gored.”
While trying his luck with security agencies on one hand, the women stated that they believe the move would collapse like a pack of cards, saying that his minions have resorted to sponsoring all manner of groups to launch campaign of calumny against Barr Natasha’s rising political fortunes in Kogi State.
The group also alleged that in a recently deflated falsehood against the beautiful politician with brains, suspected agents of the governor alleged that she blackmailed her loving husband into signing an agreement before marrying him, an allegation the Indemnity Partners, a law that was alleged to have produced the document, has since disowned it.
Blessing John explained that, “Nigerians and the world at large, watched with shock the video of some women celebrating Yahaya Bello and his “Tatatatatatata” election, alleging that it was that electoral robbery that led to gruesome murder of Mrs Salome Abuh, PDP Women Leader who doubled as women leader for Wada/Aro. The world knows that promoted insecurity in Kogi for their their for power.
“The more Governor Yahaya Bello tries to use insecurity to blackmail Natasha, the more he is exposing his weaknesses and obvious failure. Section 14(2) (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 declares that the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government. He can’t enjoy the blaring siren in his convoy, and then turn around to blame Hon Natasha. If his conscience is judging him, that he has failed to protect Kogi people, he should humbly resign,” she explained.
On the aspect of welfare, the women opined that the world knows that Yahaya Bello has not fared well, stressing that workers are not getting reward for their labour talk more of their aged parents who have since retired from service as it is on record that the N20bn bailout funds the Federal Government gave to Kogi State to pay their workers ended up in a Sterling Bank Fixed deposit account, yielding profit to massage the insatiable greed of some parasites in power and if not for the Eagle eyes of the EFCC, only God knows what would have been the fate of that money.
She urged the security agencies to fortify security around Natasha Hadiza Akpoti-Uduaghan from now till after election.
Blessing John called on the National Peace Committee led by former President Abdulsalam Abubakar to pay special consideration to what is playing out in Kogi, in calling all actors to act like, while allowing level playing ground, even if the odd does not favour them and their lackeys.
She also called on the international committee to equally set up a situation room in Kogi State and most importantly, Kogi Central and ensure all promoters and perpetrators are slammed visa ban and other appropriate sanctions.
