As reactions continue to trail the assassination allegation made by Sen. Natasha Akpoti-uduaghan against Kogi Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, former Governor Yahaya Bello, and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, the Kogi state government has dismissed the allegation as malicious and false.
Persecondnews reported that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan alleged, during her visit to her hometown on Tuesday, that Akpabio, Ododo, and Bello had conspired to assassinate her during the visit.
She said: “Senator Asuquo drove Yahaya Bello to Hilton and the meeting was in two folds. He told him to commence my recall and that he is going to sponsor it, of course money changed hands that night.
“The second thing he told him is that he should try and kill me. He told him the killing should not be done in Abuja but at home here (Ebira land).”
Despite the ban on rallies, Akpoti-Uduaghan received a heroic welcome from a massive crowd of supporters upon her arrival at her Okehi country home in Kogi State, where she had returned to celebrate Sallah with her constituents.
The visit has sparked intense backlash from both political opponents and state authorities, with Gov. Ododo slamming and accusing the senator of disregarding the law and exacerbating the state’s already volatile political climate.
The Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kingsley Fanwo, in a statement released on Tuesday, called the senator an “incurable liar and serial manipulator who tried to mislead the public, incite unrest, and present herself as a victim after deliberately violating the ban on political gatherings imposed by the state government to maintain law and order.”
The statement reads: “The attention of the Kogi State Government has been drawn to the reckless, malicious, and utterly false allegations made by the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan in her verified Facebook Page, in which she claims that Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, former Governor Yahaya Bello, and the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, should be held responsible if anything happens to her.
“This is yet another desperate and calculated attempt by an incurable liar and serial manipulators to mislead the public, incite unrest, and present herself as a victim after deliberately violating the ban on political gatherings imposed by the state government to maintain law and order.
“Her statement exposed her plans to use her visit to stir trouble and violence in Kogi Central Senatorial District. We will not allow any part of the state to go up in flames nor permit killing of innocent souls by the actions of the suspended Senator.
“Although she has since deleted the post after realising what the lie would cost her, we have a screenshot of it which was saved before she deleted the post. Her actions since the early hours of today (Tuesday) have confirmed the authenticity of the security report that certain elements were planning to foment trouble in Kogi Central.
“Let it be categorically stated that Governor Ododo absolutely has no interest in the political theatrics of the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. Her baseless allegations are nothing but a feeble attempt to stir unnecessary controversy and cover up her blatant disregard for the law. She has once again proven that she has no respect for rules and the laws.
“Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has consistently demonstrated a pattern of lawlessness, using lies and deceit as her tools of political engagement. The recent disturbances in Kogi State, orchestrated by her defiance of the state’s security directives, have further confirmed her status as a security threat to the people of the State.”
The statement added: “She deliberately violated the state government’s ban on political gatherings, which was put in place to prevent security breaches and maintain peace. Instead of respecting the law, she chose to incite chaos, disregarding the safety and stability of the state.
“When confronted with the consequences of her actions, she resorted to her usual tactics of playing the victim and fabricating baseless accusations against respected leaders of the state and the nation.
“The people of Kogi State and Nigerians at large should see through her deceptive ploys and reject her attempt to manipulate public perception with outright lies. Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is not a victim; she is an instigator of disorder who thrives on spreading falsehoods to gain public sympathy.
“The Kogi State Government will not be blackmailed or intimidated by the antics of a desperate politician who has built her political career on falsehoods.
“We remain committed to upholding law and order and will take all necessary steps to ensure that no individual, no matter how highly placed, is allowed to breach public peace with impunity.
“The building tension and cloud of violence hanging on Kogi Central wouldn’t have been necessary if Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan had complied with the position of the state government and cooperated with security agencies.
“She would be held responsible if her actions result in any violence in Kogi Central or any part of the state.”
Persecondnews had reported that in recent weeks, Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio have been embroiled in a heated political controversy.
The Kogi-born politician submitted a petition to the Senate, accusing Akpabio of sexual harassment.
However, the Ethics Committee rejected her petition on March 6 and imposed a six-month suspension without pay on her.
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