Suspended Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has pushed back against a formal petition submitted by Senate President Godswill Akpabio to the Inspector General of Police, in which he accused her of criminal defamation and incitement concerning claims of an assassination plot.
The petition, dated April 3, was also forwarded to the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN). In it, Akpabio urged law enforcement to probe statements made by Akpoti-Uduaghan during a public appearance in Kogi State on April 1, where she linked him to an alleged plot against her life.
Akpabio categorically denied the claims, describing them as “heinous lies,” and argued that such remarks were made to damage his character and incite public unrest. He stated, “This statement is not only a heinous lie but a reckless and deliberate attempt to damage my reputation, endanger my life and security, and incite political unrest.”
He further added, “It is a calculated act of blackmail and character assassination, designed to portray me as a political villain. The severity of this false allegation, and the fact that it has gained public traction, makes it necessary that law enforcement agencies treat it with the urgency it deserves.”
The accusation stems from Akpoti-Uduaghan’s public claim that Akpabio had allegedly instructed former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello to carry out her assassination while making it appear as though the act came from within her constituency.
In response, her legal representative, Victor Giwa, asserted that her statements were motivated by a genuine fear for her safety and not an act of political drama. He explained, “She has received the petition and has responded. What happened when she made that statement was her crying out to the general public to understand what she is exposed to.”
Giwa also criticized the Senate’s action of removing her security following her suspension, pointing out that the move heightened her vulnerability. He argued that security withdrawal should not be tied to legislative misconduct, saying: “You are aware that the Senate President ordered the withdrawal of her security. If somebody has committed gross misconduct, what has that got to do with the withdrawal of her security?”
He further emphasized her risk level as a public figure, stating: “I mean, you say she’s not going to the office, okay fine, I mean, you don’t need the security to enter the office. You did stop her from coming to carry out her legislative duty as a senator but she has her life outside the Senate complex. And she’s a politically exposed person and you ordered her security details to be withdrawn!”
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is currently under a six-month suspension from the Nigerian Senate.
