Nigeria: Why I Flew Helicopter to My Hometown - Akpoti-Uduaghan

Mrs. Akpoti-Uduaghan praised INEC for dismissing the recall petition against her.

The suspended Kogi Central Senator revealed that using a helicopter was her husband's idea. She shared this on Thursday during "Politics Today" on Channels Television.

On Tuesday, she flew to her hometown, Ihima, in Kogi State. There, she addressed a large crowd of supporters.

A day before her trip, the state government banned political rallies and public gatherings due to security concerns.

The police stated they had credible intelligence about potential violence at the gathering. Despite this, Mrs. Akpoti-Uduaghan and her supporters held their event anyway.

She explained that many checkpoints were set up on the way to her hometown. This led her to consider other travel options until her husband suggested flying by helicopter.

She landed and left the state by helicopter. "It was my husband's idea," she said. "They blocked all roads leading to my house."

Mrs. Akpoti-Uduaghan claimed she was targeted by these restrictions but insisted she broke no laws during her visit.

"There was no law broken," she stated firmly. "I don't think the governor can dictate how I speak to my people."

Regarding her relationship with Governor Usman Ododo, she expressed surprise at his actions. She believed they were on good terms until he responded to ex-Governor Yahaya Bello's request for her recall.

She noted that four of the 14 individuals who signed the recall petition were aides of Mr. Ododo. The governor approved this process, which shocked her.

"I mentioned in my speech that the Senate president first called on Governor Ododo regarding my recall," she said. "He initially turned it down."

However, two days later, Godswill Akpabio urged Yahaya Bello to start the recall process again.

"What did Yahaya Bello do? He tasked Ododo, and Ododo could not say no," she added. "The first cover letter was signed by special advisers to Ododo himself."