In the ongoing war of words between the Yahaya Bello led Kogi State Government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, the Central Senatorial Candidate of the PDP, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has disclosed that with the help of members of Bello’s cabinet, she got wind of plans by the government to plant weapon in her house in Ihima, Okehi Local Government Area of the state.
Akpoti stated this on Monday while responding to questions on Channels TV’s flagship programme, “Politics Today” with Seun Okinbaloye.
Natasha Akpoti and the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo were on the show over the arrest of one Safiu Ibrahim whom the government accused of terrorism and linked to Akpoti.
The scuffle took a new turn on Monday morning when the government in a statement through Fanwo called for the interrogation of Akpoti over alleged links with a terror suspect.
Fanwo had said that “it is worrisome for the PDP that Natasha represents to come out openly to identify with Safiu, a terror suspect that is linked to the bloody attack on a church in Owo that led to the death of scores of worshippers. He is also linked to the dastardly attack on the Kuje Correctional Center as well as military formations within and outside of Kogi State.
“It was a thing of relief to the people of Kogi Central that security agencies were able to apprehend their Chief Tormentor. Criminality doesn’t know political party. A criminal is a criminal and should be treated as such.”
Meanwhile, Akpoti on Channels TV denied relationship with the suspect, stating that he was arrested for dumping the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the PDP.
Before the arrest operation which took place at Trademore Estate in Lugbe Abuja, she said, that she had been informed by two members of Yahaya Bello’s cabinet that the Governor had secured search warrant to search her house and embarrass her with planted weapons and ammunitions.
According to Akpoti, the information she got from her informants in the government, necessitated a letter her party wrote to the Department of State Security (DSS) of plans to stage evidences in her house.
“What Yahaya Bello doesn’t know or what he knows is that, some of the people both Commissioners and special advisers and assistants who work with him are actually not in principle with him because they are fed up and tired of his mode of administration. But they are too scared to resign. For the safety of their lives, they are too scared.
“So whenever any plans happen, they call me and say Natasha, please be careful. This is what he is planning to do. Yes, members of his cabinets, actually two people notified me of that.
On whether she was worried of being interrogated over the allegations of link with terrorism, she said she was not worried, but excited to face interrogations with Governor Bello and his Chief of Staff, Abdulkareem Asuku present.
