{"id":145786,"date":"2025-04-01T18:02:23","date_gmt":"2025-04-01T17:02:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thepublicpulse.ng\/?p=145786"},"modified":"2025-04-01T18:02:23","modified_gmt":"2025-04-01T17:02:23","slug":"homecoming-natasha-defies-ban-storms-kogi-amid-heroic-welcome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thepublicpulse.ng\/?p=145786","title":{"rendered":"HOMECOMING: Natasha defies ban, storms Kogi amid heroic welcome"},"content":{"rendered":"<p dir=\"ltr\">HOMECOMING: Natasha defies ban, storms Kogi amid heroic welcome<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan received a rousing welcome from supporters in Kogi State on Tuesday, despite a government ban on rallies and processions.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Supporters from Kogi Central\u2019s five local government areas gathered early in Ihima, Okehi LGA, to welcome the embattled PDP lawmaker.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Amid music and celebration, she arrived dramatically in a white helicopter, sparking cheers.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Addressing the crowd, Akpoti-Uduaghan dismissed the government\u2019s restrictions, insisting she was merely celebrating Sallah with her constituents.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Akpoti-Uduaghan said, \u201cYesterday, we heard on the news that rallies and gatherings will not be allowed, that roads will be blocked, and convoys leading into the state will not be allowed.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\u201cI knew that we were the targets. But then I said, this is not political season, this is not campaign time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">She added, \u201cWe are not having a rally. This is just me, the Senator representing Kogi Central, coming down to her people to celebrate this festive time \u2013 the Sallah with you, and there is nothing wrong with that.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\u201cI am breaking no law. This is Nigeria. We have the right to be free, to express our choice in gatherings and celebrations.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Her homecoming followed a curfew imposed by the Okehi LGA chairman and warnings from the police.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">She had earlier accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Governor Yahaya Bello of being behind any security threats.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The senator, recently suspended by the Senate amid a sexual harassment controversy involving Akpabio, insists she is facing political persecution.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">A recall process against her is also underway.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>HOMECOMING: Natasha defies ban, storms Kogi amid heroic welcome Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan received a rousing welcome from supporters in Kogi State on Tuesday, despite a government ban on rallies and processions. Supporters from Kogi Central\u2019s five local government areas gathered early in Ihima, Okehi LGA, to welcome the embattled PDP lawmaker. Amid music and celebration, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":145787,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,18],"tags":[1089,1029,1135],"class_list":["post-145786","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-featured","category-news","tag-kogi-central","tag-natasha-akpoti","tag-ododo"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>HOMECOMING: Natasha defies ban, storms Kogi amid heroic welcome - The Public Pulse<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"HOMECOMING: Natasha defies ban, gets heroic welcome in KogiHOMECOMING: Natasha defies ban, gets heroic welcome in Kogi\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/thepublicpulse.ng\/?p=145786\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"HOMECOMING: Natasha defies ban, storms Kogi amid heroic welcome - 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