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Senate: Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Promises Vibrant Representation, as She Addresses Mammoth Crowd at Okene

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* Natasha has distinguished herself as a worthy daughter of Ebiraland – Yahaya Karaku.

Ahead of the February 25, 2023 general elections, the senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi Central, Barr. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has promised to be the voice of her people and speak for them when she gets to the red chamber of the 10th National Assembly.

She stated this on Sunday when her campaign train berthed at Okene local government area in continuation of her Ward-to-Ward campaign.

Natasha noted that the people of Kogi Central senatorial district have suffered for too long and charged the people to express their pains through the ballot on February 25, 2023.

“We’ve suffered for too long, and we’ve been in darkness for too long, we can’t continue like this. I and every other PDP candidate are here to serve you and ensure this suffering and pains are over.

“We have a simple message of hope and possibility to share, we are all connected to your suffering and pains.

“When you send me to the Senate, I will be the most vibrant senator, I will ensure I fight for everything that concerns you.

“I am aware our women are entangled with Lapo loan, I will ensure I fight for soft loans for you to improve your businesses.

Natasha addressing supporters at Okene

“I will fight to ensure Ajaokuta is revived so that we will have jobs and our state will become the commercial hub of the North like it was in the 70s, we will fight to bring back the lost glory of Ebiraland”, she said.

The campaign train of the PDP senatorial candidate first stopped at Okene I and subsequently proceeded to Okene II where thousands of residents trooped out to welcome her and reiterated their resolve to vote for her.

Party stalwarts, others candidates of the party and community stakeholders were in attendance to welcome the PDP senatorial candidate to Okene local government area.

Speaking on the need to support the candidature of Barr. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the former Chairman of Okene local government, Alhaji Yahaya Karaku, said the PDP senatorial candidate has distinguished herself as a worthy daughter of Ebiraland who deserves to be supported.

He disclosed that he decided to dump APC and defected to PDP because he wanted to be in a party where he will have a stake, and support Barr. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to actualize her vision for the good people of Ebiraland.

He called on the people of Ebiraland to embrace peace irrespective of party affiliations, adding that all the candidates are of the same blood and political differences should not cause enmity.

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Exclusive: Tension as Fulani militia camps in Omala community to disrupt governorship election in Kogi East

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Working in synergy with the leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, MACBAN in Kogi State, Fulani militia are daily flooding Bagana, a riverine area in Omala Local Government Council in Kogi East Senatorial District, CAPITAL POST, reports.

Bagana, a community situated by the lower River Benue part of Kogi East once have a robust and thriving trade by barter transactions which has lasted for centuries, but got embroiled in communal clashes with Patanyi and Omagede communities claiming ownership of Bagana in few years ago.

Before the crises snowballed into uncontrollable level in barely eight years ago, it has all been animosity among residents of Bagana, Patanyi and Omagede, but in Governor Yahaya Bello’s administration, the communal clashes became deepened due to political interest introduced into it.
The cause of crises were due to revenue generated on market days as traders came from all parts of Kogi East, Enugu and Anambra due to its trade by barter and cheap food items including fresh and dried fishes which were majorly supplied by the Agatu speaking people.

When our correspondent visited Bagana in the guise of buying dried fishes, to the consternation of all imaginations, Fulani people have taken over the entire community and could be seen collecting revenue and issuing receipts to motorists.

It was also discovered that motorists plying Abejukolo, headquarters of Omala and Bagana road including those coming to the market from outside the LGA have surrendered their fate to Fulani impostors and were willingly paying levies to them.

Read Also: Insecurity: Address reasons armed Fulani herders keep killing Nigerians, Ortom’s CPS tackles Buhari’s media aide
Apart from the fact that they look alien, and hardly speak ‘pidgin’ English, their Hausa accent is that of Nigeriens. Fully armed, each Fulani sighted has an AK47 including some on guards in readiness to pull trigger in case of any eventualities.

As at the time of CAPITAL POST’s visit to Bagana, no single residential building was standing on its own, no thanks to the last crises which the Patanyi and Omagede people unleashed Fulani hirelings on them.

The Bagana which was home to Agatu and Igala speaking tribe has completely been deserted after gun battle with hired Fulani mercenaries by the Patanyi and Omagede communities, thus, every houses are either reduced to rubles or set ablaze by the invaders. Currently, the residents have been turned into Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Abejukolo-Ife.

Political Interest/Crowding of Fulani militia ahead of Governorship election

Presently, the Fulani militia are flooding Bagana on the invitation of those earlier hired for gun battle by the Patanyi and Omagede communities for purposes of dislodging Bagana residents.

Speaking with one of Bagana’s youth leader who pleaded anonymity, he told CAPITAL POST that Fulani militia has gone beyond the communal crisis and has metamorphosed into Kogi State Governorship Election now. He revealed that the militias are crossing River Benue down to Bagana from the neighbouring Nasarawa axis. A development he said, was on the involvement of the leadership of Kogi MACBAN who chose to assist Yahaya Bello’s administration in the forthcoming governorship election in the Eastern Senatorial district.

Read Also: Senator Adeyemi commends Bello for appointing Okun people into government
He said, Bagana has become a camping ground for the militias preparatory to invade Omala in connivance with thugs loyal to the All Congress, APC who are familiar with the forest in order to make the affected LGAs inaccessible for election.

“I was in Bagana market and it’s fearful, the sophisticated guns being brandished by the militias. I can confirm to you that on Wednesday last week I sighted some militias coming into Bagana and currently their number has gone up to 300.or thereabout.

“The authority has interest in using them to distabilise Kogi East so that election will not hold”, the youth leader said.

In the similar vein, the President of Ife Development Association, IDA, Dr. Aaron Omale confirmed the camping of Fulani militias in Bagana for election purposes. He lamented how political leaders in the State and at the LG are feigning ignorance of strange faces in Bagana because of political interest.

According to him, the leadership of the socio-cultural group has scheduled a meeting with the traditional rulers in Omala LG in order to discuss the challenge and push it up to the appropriate quarters.

A local vigilante leader in Abejukolo, speaking on the development, admitted that there is tension over the presence of militia with the high calibre of weapons they are brandishing.

He said, they will remain law abiding, pray and calm, believing that government would take action at the right time.

Read Also: Greenfield incident: Bagudu, Badaru visits El-Rufai
Meanwhile, calls and Watsapp messages sent to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Williams Ovye Ayah to react if the Police was aware of the presence of Fulani militias was not responded to before filing this report.

CAPITAL POST recalled that the leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Kogi State Chapter on Saturday, September 16, paid a courtesy call on governor Yahaya Bello at the Lugard House, Lokoja.

The Chairman of the Fulani group in Kogi State, Umar Yusuf Damina assured the governor of their support for the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Ododo Ahmed Usman.

The MACBAN leader in his address claimed that Bello has numerous achievements to his credit, saying that the governor has secured the State in past years.

In his welcoming address, Bello lauded MACBAN’s endorsement of APC’s Ododo ahead of November 11, governorship election, adding that he was “deeply moved by this display of unity,” while he reiterated his administration’s stance against any form of discrimination against the Fulanis in Kogi State.

He lauded MACBAN for its valuable contributions in sharing information and gathering intelligence, which had aided conventional security forces in identifying and eliminating criminal elements among the Fulani community in the state.

Governor Bello expressed his conviction that the Fulanis, known for their unwavering commitment to their word, would undoubtedly throw their support behind the APC during the November 11 polls.
(Source: CapitalPost)

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More Troubles for GYB, APC, , as Tribunal declares Natasha Akpoti winner of Kogi Central Senatorial Election

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The election petition tribunal sitting in Lokoja has declared Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as the winner of the February 25 Kogi Central Senatorial election.

The tribunal Chairman, Justice K.A. Orjiakoin in his ruling on Wednesday said Uduaghan scored 54,064 votes to defeat his closest rival Sadiku-Ohere who polled 51,291 votes.

He urged Ohere to pay Akpoti-Uduaghan N500,000 for the cost of the petition.

Ohere is of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Recall that the Kogi East Senatorial Election Tribunal had, on Tuesday, sacked the senator representing the district, Jibrin Isah, on the ground that elections were cancelled in 94 polling units.

The tribunal also ordered Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a supplementary election in the affected 94 polling units.

The Tribunal Chairman, K.A. Orjiako, who delivered the judgment on the petition brought before it by Victor Adoji, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 25 February election, agreed with the prayers of Mr Adoji.

Mr Adoji, had through his Counsel, Johnson Usman (SAN), challenged the return of Mr Isah of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the ground that elections were cancelled in some polling units where the PVCs collected were more than the margin of his win.

The petitioner had pleaded with the tribunal to anull the election of Mr Isah, who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs Excise and Tarriffs, on the ground that elections were cancelled in 94 polling units and ordered for a supplementary election in the affected 94 polling units in the senatorial district.

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Muri Ajaka Congratulates Shaibu Audu on Ministerial Nomination

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By Odaudu Ojone Grace

The Kogi State Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, (SDP) Alhaji Muritala Yakubu Ajaka has congratulated Alhaji Shaibu Abubakar Audu on his nomination as a Minister by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Alhaji Audu, son of one time Governor of Kogi State, Late Prince Abubakar was among the second bath of Ministerial Nominees sent to the the Senate by the President on Wednesday.

Reacting to the development the SDP Candidate celebrated the choice of Audu as a fulfilment of the electoral promise of President Tinubu to involve young Nigerians in his administration.

“Your nomination is a glaring testimony of the commitment of His Excellency President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to youths empowerment and political inclusiveness”

Ajaka said given the background, experience and antecedents of Alhaji Audu the people Kogi State are indeed proud that one of their best has been given the opportunity to contribute to national development.

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