The senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has called out the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for allegedly arresting members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State ahead of the June 20 governorship election.
Speaking at the PDP mega rally in Ado-Ekiti over the weekend, Natasha demanded the immediate release of those detained. She said politics driven by intimidation and bitterness is unhealthy for democracy. She insisted that parties should compete on the strength of their manifestoes, not harassment.
"I'd just call on the government to please release those people arrested under our party. I don't believe politics should be practiced on the grounds of bitterness," Natasha said.
The PDP had earlier accused the APC of using a document called 'Form K' to arrest and intimidate its members, aiming to disenfranchise them. The APC has dismissed the accusation as laughable, saying it doesn't need manipulation to win.
Natasha also addressed fears that Nigeria may be drifting toward a one-party state, given the wave of defections from the PDP to the APC. She dismissed that concern, arguing that democracy remains vibrant and competitive.
"I don't believe Nigeria is moving towards a one-party state. When I joined the Senate in November 2023, there were about 38 PDP Senators, but today, we're just a few. A lot of our members decamped to the ruling party, even though some were later disappointed because they were promised automatic tickets," she said.
She encouraged other parties, including newly registered ones, to organise properly and stay guarded. "Politics is politics, and people won't be shy of crushing the weaker ones. It's a tough game. We play politics in Nigeria in a very brash way," she added.
Natasha, who was elected to the Senate in 2023 under the PDP, said she has secured her candidacy to run again in 2027 for the same Kogi Central seat. She urged that politics be free of violence, intimidation, and the use of state force.
The PDP's governorship candidate in Ekiti, Dr. Wole Oluyede, also spoke at the rally. He alleged that the incumbent governor, Biodun Oyebanji, is relying heavily on President Bola Tinubu's influence to secure re-election rather than campaigning on his record.
"The governor is hanging on to the President to be able to win this election instead of the other way around. Let the President actually decree, which he can do, to say, 'I'm leaving Ekiti open for the best government.' The President can't afford the backlash of supporting a failed government," Oluyede said.
Oluyede described himself as the candidate who will rescue Ekiti from what he called "the claws of slavery." He urged residents to vote for the PDP for quality representation.
The election is set for June 20, 2026. Ekiti State has been governed by the APC since 2018, when Kayode Fayemi was elected. Oyebanji, the current governor, succeeded Fayemi in 2022 and is seeking a second term.
Other prominent PDP figures at the rally included the Director-General of the Campaign Council, Chief Makanjuola Ogundipe; the party's 2022 governorship candidate, Bisi Kolawole; former Senator Duro Fasuyi; and former Acting Governor Tunji Odeyemi.
Natasha acknowledged that times are tough and that power is often taken, not given. But she insisted that the people must be allowed to elect who they believe is best to represent them.