By Nafisat Bello
Fire, Fury and Fierceness: Natasha Akpoti and Yahaya Bello’s Titanic Battle for Kogi Central
By Nafisat Bello
In the shifting sands of Nigerian politics, few contests are shaping up to be as telling both politically and socially as the potential showdown between former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello and incumbent Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for the Kogi Central senatorial seat in the 2027 general elections. Bello’s recent declaration to contest the seat signals not just a fierce political contest but also raises important questions about gender, leadership, and the evolving role of women in the highest echelons of Nigerian governance.
Natasha Akpoti isn’t just another politician; she is history in motion. When she won the Kogi Central seat in 2023 after a protracted legal battle, she became the first woman to represent that district in the Senate, a breakthrough in a region and nation where women political representation remains woefully low. Her journey from lawyer and governorship aspirant to National Assembly speaks to an uncommon blend of resilience, ambition, and defiance of entrenched political norms.
Akpoti’s role in the Senate has been neither quiet nor conventional. She has taken bold positions, including raising allegations of sexual misconduct at the highest levels of the legislature, actions that have been met with both support and fierce pushback. Her suspension from the Senate in 2025, following internal disputes about decorum and the handling of her complaints, was a moment of national contention. Critics saw punitive measures against her as not just political retaliation but a stark reminder of how female assertiveness is often weaponised against women in power.
This incident throws into sharp relief the double standards that women leaders face. On the one hand, some civil society voices and constituents defended her actions as courageous and indicative of women willing to speak truth to power. On the other hand, detractors and male chauvinists framed the same behavior as unbecoming or disruptive. This dichotomy illustrates the narrow confines in which women often must operate: strong enough to lead, but not too strong to disturb established hierarchies.
Akpoti represents the politics of moral urgency. Her leadership style is confrontational, vocal, and deeply activist. She has built her political identity on challenging entrenched interests, amplifying marginalised voices, and refusing to conform to the unwritten rules of elite consensus. In a Senate often accused of silence and complacency, her presence injects visibility and pressure.
This is her strength. Democracies need agitators to prevent institutional decay. Akpoti’s supporters see her as authentic, courageous, and unafraid to confront power.
If re-elected, Akpoti would likely govern as a legislative reformer introducing motions, driving public debate, and keeping national attention on local injustices. Whether that activism consistently translates into policy outcomes remains an open question.
Bello’s Return: A Challenge to Political Norms
Alh. Yahaya Bello, a polarising figure in Kogi and national politics, governed the state from 2016 to 2024 and remains influential within the All Progressives Congress (APC). His bid for the Senate represents an attempt to maintain political relevance and recalibrate his influence. Yet, his entry into Kogi Central is emblematic of a broader problem: the recycling of the same male political elite often defined by patronage and dominance into positions that should offer space for fresh voices and genuine representation.
This contest is more than a simple face-off; it reflects Nigeria’s ongoing struggle with gender parity in leadership. While Bello’s ambition might be rooted in experience and entrenched political networks, Akpoti’s position represents a challenge to the status quo, a woman not merely participating in politics but seeking to lead, to carve out space where female voices can truly matter.
As a former governor, he may understand how power operates within Nigeria’s political architecture. But his leadership style favours negotiation over confrontation and strategy over spectacle. For voters fatigued by political turbulence, this steadiness can be appealing.
If elected, Bello would likely function as an institutional operator, working quietly within party structures to influence legislation. His approach may deliver stability but offers little indication of reformist ambition.
Friends Turned Foes
Another significant part of the upcoming titanic battle is the fact that the two titans are both former friends and present foes. Not many Kogites can dive deep enough into the kind of relationship they had when the going was good. But they were quite close until they fell out and went their separate ways.
Since then, they have been involved in tense political battles, they have sponsored candidates against each other and resolved political disputes in court. Akpoti believes Bello tried to stop her from going to the Senate before she won in court.
During her battle with the Senate leadership, Bello took sides with the Senate President Godswill Akpabio and was accused of sponsoring her recall and also trying to assassinate her.
Bello was so brutal in his fight with her that his supporters allegedly destroyed a road to stop her from accessing an election venue. It was that bad…. Now, will it get worse in 2027?
Why This Contest Matters Nationally
The Kogi Central race is not just about a Senate seat. It captures a national narrative whether Nigeria will continue to replicate political patterns that marginalise women or embrace a future in which women’s leadership is seen as essential, not exceptional. If Akpoti can withstand the challenge from one of the most entrenched political figures in her state, it sends a powerful message: that women belong at every table where decisions about the nation’s future are made.
In a country where women constitute a majority of the population but remain underrepresented in governance, this contest is a litmus test. It asks: Can Nigerian politics genuinely make room for women leaders? And more critically: Are Nigerian voters ready to look beyond gendered political hierarchies to reward leadership that speaks to integrity, courage, and service?
Last Note: Beyond Politics to Legacy
The battle between Yahaya Bello and Natasha Akpoti transcends electoral ambition. It is a microcosm of Nigeria’s broader democratic evolution of its potential to redefine leadership and expand inclusion. Natasha Akpoti’s role is significant not merely because she occupies a Senate seat, but because her journey redefines what leadership can look like for Nigerian women. It’s not enough for women to be present in politics; they must be powerful, principled, and respected. And in that regard, Akpoti’s challenge whether she wins or loses, already contributes to reshaping Nigerian political culture.
Ultimately, this contest forces voters to choose between pressure and process. Akpoti offers courage and disruption but risks overreach. Bello offers structure and restraint but risks stagnation. Nigeria’s democracy needs both qualities, but elections demand a choice
However, Kogi Central is not merely selecting a senator; it is deciding which leadership deficit it is more willing to tolerate; too much fire, or too much caution.