Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan Accuses Senate President Akpabio And Yahaya Bello Of Plotting Her Assassination.
Suspended lawmaker representing Kogi Central, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has levelled serious allegations against the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, accusing them of plotting to have her killed and orchestrating her recall petition.
Addressing a crowd of supporters at her homecoming rally in Kogi on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan shared what she described as an alarming sequence of events. She claimed that the recall petition against her, recently received by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), was part of a conspiracy between Akpabio and Bello.
The Allegations
Akpoti-Uduaghan detailed a conversation that allegedly took place on 14th March, which she claims was preceded by discussions between Akpabio and Governor Ododo on 12th March. According to Akpoti-Uduaghan, Akpabio had spoken to Ododo about recalling her, but Ododo reportedly responded that such an action would not be possible as the people were firmly behind her.
However, she claimed that this response angered Akpabio, who then sought the assistance of former Governor Bello. Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged that a meeting was arranged at Hilton Hotel, where Akpabio instructed Bello to begin the recall process and assured him of financial backing for the effort. More disturbingly, she accused Akpabio and Bello of conspiring to have her killed, with the instruction that the killing should take place in Kogi, to make it appear as though it was the work of the people.
“I didn’t make this public at the time but I wrote to the police. I am standing by what I’ve said,” Akpoti-Uduaghan said. “They told him that he should make sure that killing me does not happen in Abuja, it should be done here so it will seem as if it’s the people that killed me here.”
Security Measures Taken
Though she did not disclose the information publicly at the time, Akpoti-Uduaghan confirmed that she took steps to ensure her safety by notifying security agencies about the threat.
Senate Committee Removal
In addition to the allegations of a plot against her life, Akpoti-Uduaghan also revealed that she had been removed from a Senate committee by Akpabio. She claimed that the reason for her removal was her stance on the movement of resources from the Niger Delta to the north, which she did not prevent.
“In his words, he said, ‘how can such resources from the Niger Delta be moved to the north that you did not stop it?’” Akpoti-Uduaghan said. “By the way, it is because of the five LNG projects that Akpabio removed me from the committee of local content.”
Supporters Rally Behind Her
Despite these grave accusations, Akpoti-Uduaghan expressed her determination to continue her political journey, standing firm with the support of her constituents. Her rally in Kogi was a demonstration of the backing she continues to receive from the people of Kogi Central, who have remained loyal to her amidst the political turmoil.
This latest development adds to the ongoing political tensions within Nigeria’s Senate, as both Akpabio and Bello have yet to publicly respond to the allegations. The situation remains fluid, with many awaiting the outcome of the investigations and the political implications for those involved.
