Senate President Godswill Akpabio will not be distracted by allegations made by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, his spokesman said yesterday.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is on suspension over alleged misconduct, had told a crowd in Kogi State on her return from abroad that Akpabio plotted with Governor Usman Ododo and his predecessor, Yahaya Bello to eliminate her.
She claimed: “On 12th of March, Akpabio spoke to Governor Ododo to recall me. But he told him it would be impossible because the masses are with her, the people are with her.
“But Akpabio was not satisfied. He then sent for Yahaya Bello and it was Senator Asuquo who picked him to the venue of the meeting.
“The meeting was in two-fold. They told him to commence my recall and that he was going to fund it.
“Of course, money changed hands that night. The second thing was that he should try and kill me. I didn’t make this public, but I wrote to the police.
“He told him that he should make sure that killing me does not happen in Abuja. It should be done here (Okehi) so it would seem as if it was the people who killed me here.”
Special Adviser to the Senate President on Media and Publicity, Eseme Eyiboh, said Akpabio would not be distracted.
He added that the onus was on the Kogi Central Senator to prove her allegations.
Eyiboh told our reporter: “My reaction simply is that whoever alleges must prove. That is simple. That is trite in law.
“The principle of law is that whoever alleges must prove.”
Read Also: ‘Tiger Base’
On whether the Senate President would sue, Eyiboh said: “For now, the Senate President is assiduously working together with his colleagues to collaborate with the executive to give Nigeria renewed hope.
“I’m saying that the SP is not going to come down and begin to get distracted.
“What he’s concentrating on now is collaborating with his colleague senators for a constructive collaboration with the executive and other arms of government to give Nigeria Renewed Hope.”
Also yesterday, Kogi Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of inciting violence during her homecoming.
Speaking on TV, he said: “This was aimed at inciting her people and also eliciting reactions from the supporters of the other principal actors.
“If they had reacted, that would have led to a lot of bloodshed.”
The commissioner defended the government’s decision to ban rallies, saying it was necessary to prevent a breakdown of law and order.
Fanwo noted that despite the heightened tensions, peace was ultimately maintained in the state.