By Jane Okafo, Abuja
ABUJA: The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has received the petition seeking the recall process of suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Natasha representing Kogi Central in the 10th Senate was handed 6 months suspension while her privileges and allowances were also withdrawn following her row with President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, over seat arrangement and sexual advances allegation against him.
Embattled Natasha has been fighting, including filing lawsuit and reporting her case to global body, to upturn her suspension just as there were orchestrated moves by traducers to decimate her politically.
However, a petition to recall her was submitted on Monday, March 24, by ‘Concerned Youths and Women of Kogi Central’ and received by the commission’s secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.
The petition reads: “CONSTITUENTS’ PETITION FOR THE RECALL OF SENATOR NATASHA AKPOTI-UDUAGHAN ON GROUNDS OF LOSS OF CONFIDENCE
“Dear Sir,
1. We, the undersigned, being duly registered voters of the Kogi Central Senatorial District, hereby invoke our rights under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to formally demand the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from the Nigerian Senate.
2. In particular, this petition for the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is brought pursuant to Section 69 of the 1999 Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended), as well as INEC’S Regulations and Guidelines for Recall Petitions.
3. Kindly recall that Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan emerged as our Senator by verdict of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, on Tuesday, October 31, 2023 which affirmed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate as winner of the February 25, 2023 Kogi Central Senatorial election.
4. This petition arises from our loss of confidence in the Senator on grounds of gross misconduct, abuse of office, evasion of due process and a pattern of deceitful behaviour that has not only embarrassed the people of Kogi Central constituency but has also tarnished the integrity of the Nigerian Senate and our nation’s democratic institutions.
5. By this petition, which we have made sure is signed by more than one-half of the registered voters in Kogi Central, we hereby demand that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) immediately commence the constitutional and procedural process of recall to remove Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from office and declare her seat vacant.”
Meanwhile, The Daily Crucible reports that bids by political foes to recall suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan may suffer as already, a Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, had issued an interim injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from acting on the petition seeking her recall.
The court also stopped INEC and its officials from receiving or processing any petition containing alleged fake signatures from supposed constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District or conducting a referendum based on such a petition.
The injunction was granted following an ex-parte application filed by Anebe Jacob Ogirima and four other registered voters from the district.
Citing the urgency of the matter, Smart Nwachimere, Esq., of West-Idahosa, SAN & Co on Thursday, March 20, 2025, moved an application before Justice Isa H. Dashen, who granted the request and ordered that the injunction remain in effect until the next hearing, scheduled for May 6, 2025.
This ruling comes amid allegations that the recall effort was secretly backed by a close associate of Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Akpoti-Uduaghan has previously accused Akpabio of sexual harassment.
