Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, on Friday, vehemently denied the claim made by the suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, that he had enlisted former Governor Yahaya Bello to have her killed.
Akpabio described the accusation as “false and malicious.”
The clarification came in a statement issued in Abuja by Akpabio’s media aide, Eseme Eyiboh, following the allegation made by Akpoti-Uduaghan while addressing her supporters in Kogi on Wednesday.
Akpoti-Uduaghan had claimed that the Senate President sought the help of Governor Bello to “assassinate her in Kogi State rather than in Abuja,” a charge that has since been dismissed by the state government.
Responding on Friday, Akpabio rejected the allegation, branding it a deliberate smear campaign aimed at tarnishing his reputation and painting him as a poor leader in the eyes of the public.
“This outrageous accusation is not only false but a complete fabrication, a deeply irresponsible and dangerous attempt to provoke public unrest, attract media attention, and discredit both the person and office of the President of the Senate for ulterior motives,” Akpabio stated.
He also reminded the public of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s previous unfounded accusations of sexual harassment against him, which she had abandoned without further explanation.
“Having failed to gain traction with that narrative, she has now escalated her campaign of misinformation to a defamatory dimension,” he added.
Akpabio also pointed out that Akpoti-Uduaghan had previously made assassination allegations against Yahaya Bello and other figures in 2019 and 2023, along with several unsubstantiated claims of sexual harassment against other prominent individuals.
He warned that such “persecution narratives and evident lying complexes” should not be used to harm reputations or malign others.
In addition, Akpabio took aim at former lawmaker Elisha Abbo, who, after being removed from the National Assembly by a Court of Appeal decision in October 2023, claimed that Akpabio was responsible for his removal.
Abbo had also accused the Senate President of running the Senate like an emperor during an appearance on Arise Television on Wednesday.
Akpabio dismissed these claims, suggesting that both accusations, which surfaced almost simultaneously, appeared to be part of a coordinated campaign to tarnish his reputation.
“These individuals, backed by undisclosed interests, seem to be united in a desperate effort to undermine the credibility of the Senate and its leadership.
Their objective is to distract from their own political and personal failures,” Akpabio said.
The Senate President called for apologies and retractions from both Akpoti-Uduaghan and Abbo, threatening legal action if the defamatory claims were not retracted.
“Abbo, in 2023, publicly retracted this same accusation and tendered an apology after acknowledging that his claims were based on incorrect assumptions.
His removal from office was a judicial decision by the Court of Appeal, which independently determined that he was not duly elected,” Akpabio noted.
The Senate President emphasized that legal redress would be pursued if both individuals fail to issue public apologies and retract their statements.
“Formal letters of demand, seeking immediate public retractions, apologies, and compensation for reputational harm, are underway to be served on both Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and Mr. Elisha Abbo,” the statement concluded.
