Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, has alleged that Senate President Godswill Akpabio ordered former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to have her killed in the state.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, without evidence, made the allegation on Tuesday while addressing a crowd of supporters who gathered to welcome her despite a standing order from the state government and the police prohibiting rallies, protests, and public gatherings.
She accused Akpabio of orchestrating the plot, with Bello, incumbent Governor Usman Ododo, and Senator Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South) as accomplices.
The rift between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio became public on February 20, 2025, when the latter was involved in a heated exchange with the Senate over a change of her seat at the Senate.
Following this, the Senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan and revoked all her privileges, citing misconduct in the upper legislative chamber as the reason.
The conflict escalated when she accused Akpabio of sexual harassment.
Speaking to a gathering in her constituency on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan revealed the alleged assassination plot against her.
She said, “On the 14th of March at 10:30 p.m., mind you, two days before that, which is on the 12th, Akpabio had called Governor Ododo on the phone that he should commence my recall.
“But Governor Ododo told him it would be impossible because the masses were with her, the people were with her, but Akpabio was not satisfied.
“He then sent for Yahaya Bello, and it was Senator Asukwo from Cross River that drove Yahaya Bello from Hilton Hotel, and I was informed of everything.”
She further claimed that Akpabio’s meeting with Bello had two objectives: her recall and her elimination.
“They told him to commence my recall and that he was going to fund it, of course, money changed hands that night.
“The second thing he told him was to try and kill me. I didn’t make this public, but I wrote to the IG of the Police.
“I am standing on what I said. Akpabio told Yahaya Bello to make sure that killing me does not happen in Abuja but to be done here so it will seem as if it is the people that killed me here.”
She reiterated that although she did not initially make the threat public, her team had informed security agencies.
Akpoti-Uduaghan also accused Akpabio of orchestrating her removal as Chairperson of the Local Content Board because of her push to implement five LNG projects in the North, which he allegedly opposed.
She said, “And he called several people in the cabinet, questioned them on how this project found its way here.”
According to her, Akpabio said, “How can such resources from the Niger Delta be moved to the North and that he would stop it.
“I will prove to you what he did. By the way, it is because of the five LNG projects that Akpabio removed me from the committee of local content.
“He said ever since he made me the Chairperson of the Local Content, I have used that office to promote the North.”
A group of registered voters had filed a petition with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to initiate her recall process.
THE WHISTLER attempted to get reactions from the Kogi State Government and the Nigeria Police Force but all efforts proved abortive.
Multiple calls put across to the Kogi State Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Olorunfemi Fanwo, rang out.
A WhatsApp message sent to Fanwo by our correspondent was also ignored.
THE WHISTLER further reached out to the Nigeria Police Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, at 8:19 p.m, to confirm the suspended lawmaker’s claim that the matter was reported to the police.
But as of press time, Adejobi had not responded to our calls and WhatsApp messages and allegations against Akpabio, Bello, and other other political figures remain unconfirmed.
