Amid rising political tensions in Kogi Central Senatorial District, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has received a petition calling for the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from the 10th Nigerian Senate.
The petition, submitted on Monday to INEC’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, in Abuja, was said to have carried the signatures of over 250,000 registered voters by Kogi Central constituents, according to an individual identified as their spokesperson, Ms. Charity Omole.
The move comes amid a whirlwind of controversy surrounding Akpoti-Uduaghan, who has been embroiled in a high-profile dispute with the President of the Nigerian Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio and faced suspension from the Senate over alleged “gross misconduct.” Before her suspension from the Senate, the Kogi Central Senator had accused Akpabio of “sexual harassment” during a TV interview, an allegation that Akpabio has since denied. But the mouthwatering saga itself, has now become a subject of unending commentaries, reactions and counter-reactions in the local and international media.
Addressing a press on Monday after submitting the petition, Omole stated that the district “cannot afford to be without effective representation.”
According to her, the petition signals what she described as “widespread dissatisfaction with her tenure.”
She added: “We are the ones who voted for her, and we don’t want her anymore. Nobody is bankrolling us. This is about our right to representation. We cannot afford to have an absentee senator. The game is the game.”
The petition reads in part: “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 the verdict of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, on Tuesday, October 31, 2023, which affirmed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate as the 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 the 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.”
Pan-Atlantic Kompass understands that under Section 69 of the Nigerian Constitution, the recall of a federal lawmaker requires a petition signed by more than 50 per cent of registered voters in their constituency, followed by a verification process and a referendum, all to be completed within 90 days of receipt.
With over 250,000 signatures reportedly collected, the petitioners as claimed, appear to have met this initial hurdle. However, history has shown that while the recall process exists on paper as enshrined in the 1999 constitution as amended, its practical application has wobbled to failure during previous attempts as no Nigerian lawmaker has been successfully recalled by constituents till date, no thanks to systemic bottlenecks.
Also, the recall process currently being pushed against Akpoti-Uduaghan has not unfolded without complications.
On Thursday, March 20, 2025, the Federal High Court in Lokoja, presided over by Justice Isa H. Dashen, granted an interim injunction restraining INEC from receiving or acting on any petition against Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The order, stemming from an ex-parte application filed by five registered voters from Kogi Central—including Anebe Jacob Ogirima—highlighted allegations of “fictitious signatures” in the recall effort.
The plaintiffs, represented by Smart Nwachimere of West-Idahosa, SAN & Co., argued that the petition’s authenticity was in question, necessitating judicial oversight.
However, in a swift turn of events, the same court vacated the injunction on Friday, March 21, affirming the constitutional validity of the recall process and urging constituents to proceed “in an orderly and peaceful manner.”
