Former lawmaker representing Adamawa North in the Senate, Senator Elisha Ishaku Abbo, has accused the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, of political bias and high handedness over the suspension of Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Abbo during an interview on Arise News programme, PrimeTime show on Wednesday night, April 2, 2025, recalled Akpabio’s past verbal exchange with the former Senate President, Bukola Saraki over a seat which was resolved with maturity.

Raising questions about the legality of Natasha’s suspension, Abbo argued that Akpabio’s approach was unfair, especially given his past conduct in the Senate.

He maintained that by withdrawing Natasha’s security, Akpabio had exposed the lawmaker to be killed.

He said, “In the case of Natasha, it took a different dimension,” Abbo said. “He sat like the emperor that he claims he is and said the woman should be suspended for six months, withdrew her security, stopped payment of her salary, barred her from being seen near the National Assembly building, and even ordered the Inspector General of Police not to provide her with security.

“In another way, he exposed her to be killed. When you withdraw somebody’s security—which is not right—that means you are exposing her to be killed. The IG realised that it was not a good thing to do because if tomorrow they hear that Natasha is killed, something will happen.

“In the 8th Senate, Akpabio had a verbal exchange with the Senate President, Saraki and was not suspended. If Akpabio was not suspended because of a seat in the 8th Assembly, why are you suspending Natasha for six months if your only motivation is because of a seat?”

Abbo also pointed out that Natasha had obtained a court injunction barring the Senate from investigating her alleged misconduct until the substantive case was heard but the Senate ignored the court’s ruling.

He stated, “The Senate went against the court judgement and suspended her—that is contempt of court,” he said. “It was after they finished suspending Natasha that they went to court to vacate the order barring them. And I’m sorry to use this word, but instead of arresting Akpabio for contempt of court, the judge cowardly vacated his own judgement and recused himself from the case.”

Speaking on the planned recall of Natasha from the 10th Senate, Abbo declared that no one can recall the suspended Senator, stressing it was a fraudulent scheme.

He added, “Senator Natasha should continue doing what she is doing. I heard that they want to recall her—nobody can recall Natasha. Take note and write it down, we are not a banana republic. They went to forge signatures.”