Former Kogi State Deputy Governor Edward David Onoja has shed new light on an unforgettable episode during the 2023 Kogi Central Senatorial election, when former Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello, in a bid to frustrate Senator Natasha Hadiza Akpoti-Uduaghan’s ambition, allegedly ended up strengthening her campaign and widening her popularity.
Speaking during a live interview on Channels Television, Onoja recalled that in the tense days of the Senate race, the main access road to Senator Natasha’s residence was deliberately excavated. The move, he said, was widely seen as an effort to intimidate her and disrupt her election activities. Instead, it triggered a surge of sympathy and support across the senatorial district and beyond.
Rather than back down, Natasha turned the adversity into a rallying cry. Volunteers cleared alternative routes and escorted her through rough, makeshift paths, and every rally became an act of defiance. Photos and videos of the dug-up road went viral, capturing national attention and drawing condemnation from civil society groups, democracy advocates, and the general public.
Onoja described the incident as a political miscalculation that “catapulted Natasha into the spotlight,” noting that what was meant to cripple her campaign instead “gave her an unstoppable momentum.” Analysts agree that the incident became a turning point, transforming her from a regional contender into a national figure and energizing her voter base.
Today, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan serves as one of the most prominent voices in the National Assembly, known for her advocacy of gender equality and transparent governance. Meanwhile, Yahaya Bello has remained publicly silent on Onoja’s televised account—a silence many see as confirmation of a strategy that backfired.
In Kogi political circles, the episode is remembered as the moment when a crude attempt to block a candidate’s path became the very bridge to her Senate victory, turning a “masterstroke” of obstruction into an open highway for Natasha’s historic win.
