The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Friday strongly denied allegations made by suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who accused him of being involved in a plot to assassinate her. The allegations, which Akpoti-Uduaghan made during a rally in her hometown on April 1, were swiftly condemned as “baseless” and “false” by Akpabio’s office.
In a statement released by Akpabio’s Media Adviser, Eseme Eyibo, the Senate President dismissed the accusations, calling them a “dangerous” and “malicious” attempt to provoke public unrest and tarnish his reputation. The statement also referred to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s history of unsubstantiated claims, including previous accusations of sexual harassment and assassination against various public figures, including former Governor Yahaya Bello.
The statement read, “The Office of the President of the Senate strongly condemns the recent baseless, false, and inflammatory accusation made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, in which she falsely alleged that the Senate President was involved in a plot to assassinate her.”
It also highlighted Akpoti-Uduaghan’s prior claim that Akpabio had “recruited” Bello to orchestrate the assassination in Kogi State. The Senate President’s office emphasized that this allegation was a fabrication designed to discredit him and his office, stating that such claims were part of a broader pattern of baseless accusations made by Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The statement further mentioned that Akpoti-Uduaghan had previously made similar assassination allegations against others, including Bello in 2019 and 2023, as well as unsubstantiated sexual harassment accusations. It also pointed to a recent media appearance by former Senator Elisha Abbo, who revived claims about Akpabio’s alleged judicial manipulation—claims that Abbo had previously retracted and apologized for in 2023.
“The timing, tone, and striking similarity of these coordinated attacks point clearly to a politically motivated smear campaign,” the statement concluded, stressing that Akpabio remained focused on his legislative duties and committed to national unity, institutional integrity, and rule of law.
The Senate President’s office confirmed that legal actions were being initiated, including formal letters of demand for retractions, apologies, and compensation from both Akpoti-Uduaghan and Abbo. Akpabio’s camp urged the public and international community to reject these “provocative narratives.”
