Ex-Kogi governor demands probe, prosecution over “criminal defamation, incitement”
Matilda Omonaiye/
Former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), calling for an immediate investigation and prosecution of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan over what he described as “false, inciting and criminally defamatory” allegations linking him to an assassination plot.
The petition, dated April 9 and signed by Bello’s solicitor, N.A. Abubakar Esq., follows a recent statement by Akpoti-Uduaghan during a political rally in Okehi, Kogi State, where she accused the former governor of conspiring with Senate President Godswill Akpabio to orchestrate her murder.
According to Bello’s legal team, the senator’s claim—made in a viral video—amounts to criminal defamation, false accusation, and incitement to public disorder, all of which are punishable under Nigerian law, including the Cybercrimes Act and the Penal Code applicable in Northern Nigeria.
“Our client demands that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan be invited by the police to substantiate her claims with evidence or be arrested and prosecuted,” the petition reads. “Her utterances were reckless, malicious and calculated to incite political unrest and tarnish the image of our client.”
In a separate letter from the chambers of Chief R.O. Balogun, SAN, the former governor also demanded a public retraction and apology from Akpoti-Uduaghan, threatening civil and criminal litigation if she fails to comply within 14 days.
Bello’s lawyers said the senator’s speech falsely portrayed him as a violent political actor and attempted to mislead the public and fuel ethnic tensions within Kogi Central. They also accused her of abusing her senatorial platform to spread dangerous misinformation.
“Our client has tolerated her fabrications in the past out of a sense of duty while serving as governor,” the letter stated, “but now seeks full legal redress for her latest, entirely baseless accusations.”
Bello warned that failure to act on the matter could embolden others to use political platforms to spread dangerous falsehoods and destabilize public peace.
As of press time, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had not issued any official response to the allegations or the legal threats.
0Related posts:
Sexual Harassment Claim Against Akpabio Marred by Contradictions – Olisa Agbakoba, SAN
Buhari’s Visit: 100 pro-democracy Groups Score Yahaya Bello High on Projects
UK-Based Indigenes Call for Action against Sponsors Of Terrorism in Kogi, Commend Yahaya Bello for Sustaining Peace
Akpabio’s Wife Sues Sen. Natasha for Defamation, Demands N250 Billion