By Charles Maduka
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has dismissed as false and malicious the allegation by suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan that he conspired with former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to have her assassinated.
In a statement released in Abuja by his media aide, Eseme Eyiboh, Akpabio described the claim as a calculated attempt to smear his name and discredit his office.
The allegation was made by Akpoti-Uduaghan during a gathering with her supporters in Kogi. She claimed that Akpabio had asked Bello to assassinate her in Kogi State rather than in Abuja, a claim already denied by the state government.
Reacting to the statement, Akpabio said there was no truth in it and described it as a continuation of unsubstantiated accusations made by the senator in the past.
“This accusation is completely false, fabricated, and dangerous. It’s meant to provoke unrest, grab media attention, and tarnish my image and the integrity of my office for personal gain,” he said.
Akpabio added that this was not the first time Akpoti-Uduaghan had made baseless claims. “She had previously accused me of sexual harassment and later abandoned that claim without explanation. This pattern of unfounded allegations is consistent in her public conduct.”
He noted that the senator had made similar assassination claims against Yahaya Bello and others in 2019 and 2023. He warned against using unverified accusations to destroy people’s reputations.
Akpabio also addressed recent remarks by former Senator Elisha Abbo, who accused him of being behind his removal from the National Assembly.
Abbo was sacked by the Court of Appeal in Abuja on October 16, 2023. However, during a live programme on Arise Television, he blamed Akpabio and accused him of ruling the Senate like an emperor.
Akpabio denied involvement in Abbo’s removal and said the accusations were part of a coordinated attempt to damage his reputation.
“These two attacks, coming around the same time, seem to be part of a planned smear campaign against me. Their aim is to distract from their personal and political issues,” he said.
He added that Abbo had previously withdrawn a similar accusation in 2023 and issued an apology after learning that the court’s ruling had nothing to do with him.
Akpabio said his legal team is preparing letters demanding public apologies, retractions, and compensation from both Akpoti-Uduaghan and Abbo to avoid going to court.
He assured that he remains focused and will not be distracted by the false allegations.
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