In a startling revelation, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of orchestrating a plot with former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to have her assassinated. The senator made these allegations on Tuesday during a grand homecoming reception organized by her supporters in Ihima, Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State.
Addressing the gathered crowd, Akpoti-Uduaghan detailed a clandestine meeting between Akpabio and Bello, during which Akpabio allegedly instructed Bello to initiate her recall process and assured him of financial support. She further claimed that Akpabio directed Bello to arrange her assassination, emphasizing that the act should occur within Kogi State to implicate local actors.
"The meeting was in two phases," she stated. "Akpabio told Yahaya Bello to commence my recall process and assured him that he would fund it. Of course, money changed hands that night. The second thing he told him was to try and have me killed."
Akpoti-Uduaghan asserted that she had reported these threats to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, highlighting the urgency and severity of the situation.
These allegations emerge amidst a tumultuous political climate for Akpoti-Uduaghan. Following her suspension from the Senate on March 6, 2025, for alleged gross misconduct—a suspension that came shortly after she accused Akpabio of sexual harassment—there have been intensified efforts to recall her from office. A group known as the APC Kogi Central Political Frontier submitted a petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seeking her recall, claiming to have gathered over 250,000 signatures. However, Akpoti-Uduaghan and her supporters have challenged the legitimacy of this petition. Her legal team has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police and the Kogi State Commissioner of Police over alleged forgery of signatures in the recall petition. Additionally, the Federal High Court in Lokoja granted an interim injunction restraining INEC from receiving or acting upon any petition aimed at initiating a recall process against her, pending the determination of a motion on notice.
Furthermore, Akpoti-Uduaghan has accused INEC of bias, alleging that the commission compromised its neutrality by failing to outrightly reject the petition due to procedural lapses. She contends that INEC's actions suggest partiality in favor of the petitioners.
These developments have sparked widespread concern among various groups. Womanifesto, a coalition advocating for women's rights, has expressed apprehension over the coercion behind the recall plans and urged INEC to uphold the rule of law.
As tensions escalate, the political landscape in Kogi Central remains fraught with uncertainty. The allegations made by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan underscore the volatile nature of the state's politics and raise pressing questions about the safety and security of public officials. The coming weeks are likely to be pivotal in determining the trajectory of these unfolding events.
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