Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan representing Kogi Central has alleged that the State Governor, Yahaya Bello attempted to sway the political landscape by offering her a substantial sum of money to withdraw from the race in favour of his anointed candidate.
She stated this while featuring on Arise TV’s The Morning Show on Wednesday.
“Yahaya Bello offered me N50 million at first, I turned it down, he increased it to N70 million, so that I can step down for his anointed candidate, and I rejected the money,” Akpoti-Uduaghan asserted.
Yahaya Bello
This revelation comes on heels of questions trailing the integrity of the political process, as such allegations of financial inducement have been a long-standing concern in Nigerian political space.
As at press time, Yahaya Bello has yet to respond to the allegation.
Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal sitting in Lokoja, on Tuesday, October 31, declared Peoples Democratic Party senatorial candidate in Kogi Central, Chief Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, as winner of the February 25 poll in the State.
The court had sacked Abubakar Ohere of the All Progressives Congress and subsequently ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (third respondent) to withdraw the certificate of return issued to the APC candidate.
Find hereunder a summary of the Appeal Court verdict in 5 paragraphs:
The 1st Appellant (Abubakar Ohere) was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast in the Kogi Central Senatorial District election held on February 2023.
The declaration of APC’s Ohere and the certificate issued to the 1st Appellant are null and void.
The 1st Respondent (Natasha Akpoti-Udauaghan) was duly elected and is hereby declared as winner of the said election and returned accordingly.
The 3rd Respondent (INEC) shall forewith issue Natasha with the Certificate of Return as duly elected candidate at Kogi Central Senatorial District election.
The Appellants (Ohere and APC) shall jointly and severally pay the Respondents (Natasha, PDP and INEC) the sum of N500, 000 as costs of the petition.