Natasha’s Travail: Yahaya Bello Vindicated – Senator Karimi

The senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Sunday Karimi, has said that the current Senate proceedings involving the lawmaker representing Kogi Central, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, have vindicated former Governor Yahaya Bello.

The APC senator noted that, as a key player in the National Assembly, he could comfortably say that the former governor could, after all, not have been blamed for what Akpoti-Uduaghan blamed him for in the state prior to the National Assembly elections.

The Kogi West Senator, who spoke to journalists in Lokoja in reaction to the face-off between Akpoti-Udaughan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio, said: “Former Governor Yahaya Bello must have seen it coming.”

“Other Kogi lawmakers and I played major roles in ensuring that the state was not brought to ridicule, but no amount of reasoning could prevail. Our intervention was rebuffed,” he said.

He recalled that the Kogi Central Senator had several running battles with the former governor before, during, and after the State National Assembly elections, noting that recent events had only vindicated former Governor Bello.

According to him, what is happening now in the Senate is a total mess and an embarrassment to the entire state.

He lamented that, despite sincere appeals and advice, which he said fell on deaf ears, it was unfortunate that the needless embarrassment could still be brought to the state and the nation at large.

“All our admonition to her fell on deaf ears. One can, therefore, come to terms with the fact that former Gov Yahaya Bello saw it coming.

“Sen. Natasha has not only rubbished the perception of the state, from the events happening now in Nigeria, she has also embarrassed the entire country,” he stated.

Senator Karimi also lauded President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for his decision to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State, which is seen to have wider political and economic safeguards for both the state and the country at large.

He noted that the president acted in the best interest of the state and Nigeria, having made his decision in compliance with the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.