Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, has made shocking accusations against Senate President Godswill Akpabio, alleging that he instructed former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to have her assassinated.
The senator also claims that current Kogi Governor Usman Ododo is complicit in the alleged plot.
Speaking to her supporters on Tuesday in Ihima, Okehi Local Government Area, Akpoti-Uduaghan detailed the events surrounding her claims. She accused Akpabio of orchestrating a recall attempt in collaboration with powerful figures within the All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to Akpoti-Uduaghan, Akpabio pressured Governor Ododo to lead the recall effort. However, Ododo reportedly resisted, citing the strong support Akpoti-Uduaghan has from the people of Kogi. “On March 14th at 10:30 p.m., two days after Akpabio urged Governor Ododo to initiate the recall, he rejected the idea, saying it would be impossible due to my popularity with the masses,” the senator recounted.
Unfazed by this setback, Akpabio allegedly turned to Yahaya Bello, with a senator from Cross River, Asuquo Ekpenyong, reportedly accompanying Bello to a meeting where funds were exchanged to fuel the recall process.
In a chilling twist, Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of going further by allegedly instructing Bello to have her killed in Kogi, ensuring that it would appear as a local attack and not a politically motivated assassination. She shared that Akpabio specifically told Bello that the killing should take place in Kogi, not Abuja, to make it seem as though the act came from the people of Kogi rather than from the political elite.
Akpoti-Uduaghan claims she did not immediately make the threat public but did inform the Inspector General of Police about the alleged plot. Despite these serious allegations, neither Akpabio, Bello, nor Ododo has responded publicly to the senator’s accusations.
Political analysts believe that the recall effort may lack sufficient political support to succeed. The senator’s suspension from the Senate on March 6, after a clash with Akpabio, has only fueled speculation that the recall is part of a larger political rivalry.
As tensions rise in Kogi Central, Akpoti-Uduaghan has remained defiant, encouraging her supporters to stand firm against political intimidation while the recall process unfolds.
