By: Daure David
The Senate President Godswill Akpabio has reacted to fresh allegations made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central, claiming that he attempted to orchestrate an assassination plot against her.
During a rally in Ihima, Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State on Tuesday, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of instructing former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to kill her. The senator further alleged that the current Kogi Governor, Usman Ododo, was also involved in the conspiracy. According to her statement, Akpabio allegedly sought to have her recalled from the Senate and even made arrangements to fund the process.
Akpoti-Uduaghan detailed an alleged meeting between Akpabio and Governor Ododo on March 14, where Akpabio reportedly asked Ododo to initiate her recall despite being advised against it due to her support among the people. She also claimed that Akpabio’s subsequent conversation with Yahaya Bello involved both plans to carry out her recall and a more sinister plot to have her killed. The senator claimed that Akpabio instructed Bello to ensure that the assassination appeared to be a local action, to avoid suspicion in Abuja.
“I didn’t make this public, but I wrote to the IG of Police. And Akpabio told Yahaya Bello… that he should make sure that killing me does not happen in Abuja, that it should be done here so it will seem as if it’s the people that killed me here,” Akpoti-Uduaghan said.
In response to the allegations, Akpabio chose not to engage directly with Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claims. His media aide, Eseme Eyiboh, issued a statement emphasizing that any comments on the matter would be subjudice, as the case is still in court. Eyiboh further stated that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s actions showed a lack of respect for the rule of law.
“There is no way you will comment on it without linking it to the President of the Senate, who is also a party to the suit,” Eyiboh explained. When pressed on Akpoti-Uduaghan’s continued public remarks despite the ongoing legal proceedings, Eyiboh expressed his belief that this indicated a disregard for legal processes, stating, “That shows the level of respect she has for the rule of law herself.”
The allegations have further escalated tensions between the two senators and have prompted calls for thorough investigations into the claims. Security agencies have reportedly been notified, and it remains to be seen how the legal and political consequences of these claims will unfold.
This developing story is sure to attract further scrutiny as it touches on both serious criminal accusations and the ongoing political maneuvering in Kogi State.
