"Akpabio Can't Win This Game": Reactions as Natasha Performs Sujud in Trending Video
- Suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan stirred reactions as she performed sujud at a rally ground
- Natasha, who was suspended from the Senate for six months, arrived at the homecoming rally event in a helicopter
- At the event, she alleged that Senate President Godswill Akpabio, whom she accused of harassment, plotted her assassination
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Lokoja, Kogi- Nigerians have reacted to the video of the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan performing an Islamic prostration (sujud) after disembarking from a helicopter at a homecoming rally in her constituency.
On Tuesday, April 1, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) politician alleged that Senate president, Godswill Akpabio, contracted Yahaya Bello, the immediate past governor of Kogi state, to plan her assassination as well as her recall.
Source: Twitter
Senator Natasha addresses constituents in Kogi
Akpoti-Uduaghan made the claims while addressing members of her constituency at a rally in Ihima in Kogi Central. She alleged that Akpabio contacted State Governor Ahmed Ododo to initiate her recall, but the governor said it would not work because 'the masses are with her'.
She further claimed that the Nigerian Senate President was not satisfied with the governor's response and then reached out to his ally, Yahaya Bello. She further alleged that she was informed that Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong drove the former governor to a luxury Hilton hotel.
Meanwhile, a trending video showed the moment when the suspended senator performed sujud after arriving at the rally, causing mass jubilation. Nigerians have taken to the comments section of the video, but some have expressed mixed reactions to the senator's actions.
Source: Twitter
Why did Natasha perform sujud?
Sujud is the Arabic term for the act of prostration in Islamic prayer (Salat), where a person lowers their forehead, nose, both palms, knees, and toes to the ground, embodying complete submission and humility before Allah (God). It is a central and profound aspect of Muslim worship, symbolizing deep devotion, reverence, and surrender to the Creator.
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In the regular cycle of prayer, sujud is performed twice in each unit (rak'ah). After the prostration, the worshiper rises and sits briefly before repeating the act. This position is believed to bring the worshiper closer to Allah, as it is a moment when Muslims believe their supplications are most likely to be accepted.
Sujud can also be performed outside of the formal prayers as an expression of worship or gratitude, referred to as sujud as-shukr (prostration of thankfulness), which allows Muslims to offer thanks to Allah for His blessings.
Although Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is a Christian, she may be familiar with Islamic practices due to her Muslim father. As many of her constituents are Muslims, it’s likely she performed the sujud as a gesture of gratitude, in keeping with the cultural and religious significance of the act within her community.
Nigerians' reaction to Natasha performing sujud
Legit.ng has compiled some of the reactions to the trending video of Akpoti-Uduaghan arriving at the homecoming:
Ómọ̀ Ọ̀bá Ọláníyì said:
"Akpabio can't win this game, he is playing with this woman. The people advising her are 100 times more intelligent than all of them in that 10th Assembly."
Kelvin wrote:
"See Nigerians God! I know some of you would say this is because they love her, but guy!! Look am well and check the environment, civil servant be like God to her people. Else I am very sure these people won't be this ignorant."
Fuss Viet commented:
"Grown human beings behaving like baboons. Poverty na bad thing."
Oluwasegun reacted:
"This lady knows politics. True power belongs to the people. If you want to rule, capture the heart of the people by performance, by touching their life and their needs. @deluxe_pastor, this is what I believe is true democracy. Anything other than this is nothing but a scam."
Olúwaníṣọlá Moṣerere Ọpẹ́yẹmí
"After all this nonsense, she will be kicked out of the Senate."
The Twitter video has been included below:
Expert critiques Natasha’s political narrative and media use
Political consultant, Dr. Ilo Chinedu Faustinus, has described Akpoti-Uduaghan’s media tactics as deliberate and powerful, but not without risks.
“She has a very strong knowledge of how to apply the media to her advantage, but the issue now is sustainability,” Ilo remarked to Legit.ng.
Ilo noted that while the media can build public acceptance, it can also challenge the narrative. He added that Natasha's allegations signal that “Nigeria is at the crossroads of serious issues,” and failure to address them could deepen "public mistrust in governance"
Dr. Ilo referred to Natasha’s "weighty statement" at her April 5 homecoming, where she claimed to be a victim of an unethical political system, aligning it with her earlier criticism at the Inter-Parliamentary Union, where she condemned the Senate for operating on the whims of those in power instead of following proper processes.
"For her to make such a statement, it should be worrisome to the public that at her level, as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, she doesn't trust the institution (not just about the Senate), but also the judiciary," he stated.
The expert in public relations and ethical governance, also pointed out Natasha's accusation that Akpabio was sabotaging the LNG project because of her support for Northern interests.
He expressed concern that such claims could undermine investor confidence and disrupt development projects nationwide.
“There is a possibility that several projects in Nigeria were sabotaged by people who do not think that such projects should be sited, whether it is in the North or in the Southern part of Nigeria," he remarked.
Akpabio addresses Natasha's assassination attempt claim
Meanwhile, Akpabio has denied claims by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan that he conspired with former Kogi state governor Yahaya Bello to have her killed.
In a statement released in Abuja, Akpabio's media aide, Eseme Eyiboh, described the allegations as “false and malicious.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that Akpabio had approached Bello to assassinate Kogi state. The state government has also dismissed the claims.
Akpabio called the allegations baseless and part of what he described as a smear campaign aimed at discrediting his office.
“This outrageous accusation is a complete fabrication and a dangerous attempt to provoke unrest, gain media attention, and undermine the institution of the Senate,” the statement said.
He also referred to a previous allegation by Akpoti-Uduaghan accusing him of sexual harassment, which he claimed she had since abandoned without explanation.
Akpabio said the senator had made similar unproven claims against Bello and other officials in the past, including in 2019 and 2023.
Natasha calls out Akpabio, Yahaya Bello
Legit.ng earlier reported that Natasha called out Akpabio over an alleged report that her rally in Kogi could be hijacked by hoodlums.
In a statement on April 1, she also called out Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi and his predecessor, Yahaya Bello, over these allegations.
Police reportedly urged the senator to suspend her rally over security concerns, amid her sexual harassment claims against Akpabio.
Nurudeen Lawal, Head of the Politics and Current Affairs desk, contributed the explainer on sujud, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan's likely reasons for performing it, and Akpabio's reaction to this report.
Editorial assistant Ololade Olatimehin provided exclusive commentary from a political consultant and public relations expert for this report.
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Proofreading by Bruce Douglas, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
