From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has described as “baseless, false and inflammatory,” allegations by suspended Kogi Central lawmaker, Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, that he allegedly “recruited” former Governor Yahaya Bello to assassinate her.
He added that she was deliberately spreading falsehoods and manipulative theatrics aimed at damaging his reputation and provoking public unrest.
In a statement issued on Friday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, Akpabio condemned Natasha’s claim which she made during an event in Kogi State on April 1.
Describing the accusation as “a complete fabrication,” the Senate President warned that such rhetoric is dangerous and capable of stoking public disorder.
“This outrageous accusation is not only false but a complete fabrication and a deeply irresponsible and dangerous attempt to provoke public unrest, attract media attention, and discredit the person and office of the President of the Senate for ulterior motives,” the statement read.
Akpabio also recalled that Sen. Natasha had previously made an “unsubstantiated accusation of sexual harassment” against him but “having failed to gain traction with that narrative, she has now escalated her campaign of misinformation to a deadly and defamatory dimension.”
He further accused his colleague of having a pattern of “recurring victimhood narratives,” citing past allegations of assassination plots in 2019 and 2023, as well as multiple unproven claims of sexual harassment against other public figures.
“Her recurring persecution narrative and evident lying complex should not be weaponized to malign individuals or destroy hard-earned reputations,” he stated.
On former Sen. Elisha Abbo, who, in a separate media appearance on April 2, revived a previously withdrawn accusation that Akpabio “manipulated the judiciary” to orchestrate his removal from the Senate, the Senate President reminded Nigerians that Abbo had publicly retracted this claim in 2023 and issued an apology after admitting it was based on “incorrect assumptions.”
While addressing Abbo’s recent claim that Akpabio denied him access to his entitlements, the statement said such claims were “categorically false,” insisting that salaries and allowances are processed through due administrative procedures and not at the Senate President’s discretion.
“The timing, tone, and striking similarity of these coordinated attacks point clearly to a politically motivated smear campaign,” he concluded.
“As a statesman devoted to national unity, institutional integrity, and the rule of law, he will not be distracted by malicious falsehoods or inflammatory rhetoric,” the statement declared, adding, “We call on the Nigerian public in particular and the International Community to reject these baseless and provocative narratives.”
The Senate president and Sen.Akpoti-Uduaghan have been at loggerheads since she her seat was reallocated in the chamber on March 6. She accused Akpabio of taking the action because of her refusal to yield to his sexual advances.
She was subsequently suspended by the Senate for 6 months for “disobeying Senate rules,” followed by a failed recall exercise in her constituency which she alleged was sponsored by Akpabio and former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello.
On April 1, she told a crowd of her supporters in Kogi Central that Akpabio had plotted to recall her from the Senate or have her assassinated in her state. On April 3, while appearing on Channels TV, she added that he also plotted to sponsor someone to replace her in 2027. According to her, she has evidence to back up all claims.
