“Akpabio told Yahaya Bello that he should make sure that killing me does not happen in Abuja…”
Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP, Kogi central) has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of allegedly instructing former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, to have her killed.
She further claimed that the current governor, Usman Ododo, was complicit in the alleged plot against her.
Despite a government-imposed ban on political rallies and processions in Kogi state, Akpoti-Uduaghan was received by a large crowd of supporters in her senatorial district on Tuesday after she arrived in a helicopter.
Her supporters, drawn from the five local government areas of Kogi central, converged in Ihima, Okehi Local Government Area, defying a curfew imposed by the Okehi LGA chairman, Amoka Monday, and police warning.
Addressing the crowd during a rally in her hometown, she alleged that Akpabio orchestrated an attempt to recall her from the senate in collusion with leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
She said, “Let me say this now. On the 14th of March at 10:30 p.m. – mind you, two days before that, on the 12th – Akpabio spoke to Governor Ododo to recall me. But he told him it would be impossible because the masses are with her, the people are with her. But Akpabio was not satisfied.
“He then called for Yahaya Bello and it was actually Senator Asuquo from Cross River who drove Yahaya Bello from Hilton Hotel. I was informed of everything and when I got to know-hold on. The meeting was in two parts. He 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 that he should try and kill me. I didn’t make this public, but I wrote to the IG of Police. And Akpabio told Yahaya Bello.
“I am standing on what l’ve said. He told him 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. I didn’t make that public, but we did notify the security agencies of that.”
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Her allegations come amid an ongoing attempt to recall her from the National Assembly.
Last week, some constituents from Kogi central submitted a recall petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which is expected to verify the signatures. The recall effort follows her suspension from the senate on March 6 for alleged “gross misconduct” after her clash with Akpabio and her accusations of sexual harassment against him
Akpoti-Uduaghan questioned the legitimacy of the recall petition, expressing doubts over how 250,000 signatures were allegedly gathered within two days.
“We saw what happened. They came around and deceived our people that they had empowerment for them with their PVC. They took advantage of our women illiteracy. They took advantage of poverty. I know they will not succeed by the grace of God. The recall will not be successful.”
She also pushed back against attempts to prevent her from returning to her constituency.
“I am an Ebira woman, the daughter of Akpoti. They tried to stop me from coming home. We own Ebira together, and no Senate President and his co travelers would stop me from coming home
“I knew that we were the targets. But then I said, this is not political season, this is not campaign time.
“We are not having a rally. This is just me, the Senator representing Kogi Central, coming down to her people to celebrate this festive time, the Sallah with you, and there is nothing wrong with that.
“I am breaking no law. This is Nigeria. We have the right to be free, to express our choice in gatherings and celebrations.”
