Senator Natasha Akpoti-Oduaghan on Tuesday alleged that Senate President Godswill Akpabio contracted the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to commence her recall and assassination.

Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan made this allegation while addressing his constituents at a rally held in Ihima, Kogi Central, on Tuesday.

The politician said Mr Akpabio initially contacted Usman Ododo to commence her recall, but the state’s incumbent governor “told him it would be impossible because the masses are with her.”

She said that Mr Akpabio, dissatisfied with Mr Ododo’s response, asked Mr Bello to ensure her recall and assassination, with a promise to fund the processes.

“But Akpabio was not satisfied; he then called for Yahaya Bello. It was Senator Asuqwo that drove Yahaya Bello to the Hiltons. I was informed,” Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan said. “The meeting was in two folds; he told him to commence my recall. He was going to fund it. Of course, money changed hands that day. The second thing was that he should kill me.”

She added, “Akpabio told Yahaya Bello to kill me. Akpabio told him to make sure that killing me does not happen in Abuja. It should be done here. So it will seem as if the people killed me here. I didn’t make that public, but we did notify the police about it.”

Aniete Ekong, the spokesperson for Mr Akpabio, could not be reached for a response to Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s latest allegation against his principal. A WhatsApp message sent to Mr Ekong was not replied.

Fanwo Kingsley, Kogi commissioner of information, who doubles as spokesperson for the former governor, could not be reached for comments. A WhatsApp message sent to him has not been replied to.

Similarly, the spokesperson for Nigerian police, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, could not be reached to confirm Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s claim that she filed a petition to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Mr Akpabio and Mr Bello’s plot to assassinate her.

Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan stormed her constituency in a chopper, defying warnings by the police, state governor, and a curfew declared in her local government to stop her from coming home.

The Kogi Central lawmaker, who the Senate suspended for unruly behaviour during plenary, accused Mr Akpabio of sexually harassing her.

The embattled lawmaker described her suspension as a witch-hunt by the Senate and an attempt to silence her for accusing Mr Akpabio of sexual molestation.