Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on Wednesday, Abbo accused Akpabio of making a dangerous decision that put Akpoti-Uduaghan’s life in jeopardy.
Former Adamawa North senator Ishaku Elisha Abbo has claimed that Senate President Godswill Akpabio withdrew Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s security details to deliberately expose her to the risk of being killed.
Speaking during an interview on Arise TV on Wednesday, Abbo accused Akpabio of making a dangerous decision that put Akpoti-Uduaghan’s life in jeopardy.
“When you withdraw somebody’s security, that means you expose that person to be killed,” Abbo said. “And I know the IG, you see the police is for all of us. Nobody wants the police. The IG realised that that is not a good thing to do.”
Abbo went on to explain that the decision was part of a broader, punitive action taken against Akpoti-Uduaghan. “Far-reaching decisions. Even ordering the Inspector General of Police not to provide her security. In another way, exposing her shall be killed,” he added.
He compared the situation with a previous instance in the 8th Senate, when Akpabio himself had a serious verbal exchange with former Senate President Bukola Saraki over a change of Senate seat but faced no significant consequences.
“In the 8th Senate, I have the video and I can send it to you. Senate President Godswill Akpabio had a serious verbal exchange with the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, about a change of Senate seat. He was not suspended.
“He was not investigated. The matter was handled with maturity,” Abbo said.
Abbo also criticised the severity of Akpabio’s actions towards Akpoti-Uduaghan, which included suspending her for six months and ordering her salary to be withheld.
“In the case of Natasha, it took a different dimension. He sat like the emperor that he claimed he is and said the woman should be suspended for six months.
“Withdraw her security, stop payment of her salaries, not be seen to close the National Assembly building, and even her aides should also lose their salaries,” Abbo said.
He also condemned the Senate’s disregard for a court injunction that had prevented their investigation of Akpoti-Uduaghan, calling it contempt of court.
“Natasha went to court. And she got a court injunction barring the Senate from investigating her until the substantive matter is heard. The Senate went against the court judgment and suspended her,” Abbo stated.
Finally, Abbo expressed frustration at the judiciary’s handling of the case, accusing the judge of failing to act on Akpabio’s contempt of court.
“It was after the infringement of Natasha that they went to court to vacate the court order,” he said.
“Barring them after contempt of court and I am sorry to use this word – cowardly, they judge. Instead of arresting Akpabio for contempt of court, he vacated his own judgment that they broke.”
Abbo concluded by questioning why the judge recused himself from the case, further criticising the judiciary’s actions.
“That is the pleasure he was under. And instead for the judge to also go into the substantive matter, he recused himself,” he said.
Meanwhile, the media had earlier reported that Senator Abbo accused Senator Akpabio of running the Nigerian Senate like a personal empire and targeting senators who oppose his views.
Abbo further claimed that Akpabio orchestrated the removal of five senators, including himself.
The former Adamawa North senator alleged that Akpabio had privately informed him of the planned ousting.
“He told me that five senators would be removed. I asked how he knew, and he said, ‘I am the Senate President. I know.’ True to his words, five of us were removed. I had no idea that I was one of them,” Abbo stated.
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