The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially received a petition from the constituents of Kogi Central, calling for the commencement of the recall process for Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The petition was submitted to INEC’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday and was accepted by the Commission’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central in the Nigerian Senate, is currently suspended for alleged violations of Senate rules.
The petition, titled Constituents’ Petition for the Recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Grounds of Loss of Confidence, claims that over 250,000 constituents, out of approximately 480,000 registered voters in the district, have signed in support of the recall.
The petitioners argue that the senator’s conduct has led to a loss of confidence among her constituents.
The petition cites allegations of gross misconduct, abuse of office, evasion of due process, and a pattern of deceitful behavior, which the petitioners claim have embarrassed the people of Kogi Central and tarnished the integrity of both the Senate and Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
In the petition, the constituents invoke their rights under Section 69 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as well as INEC’s regulations and guidelines for recall petitions.
The petitioners demand that INEC immediately begin the legal process to remove Akpoti-Uduaghan from office and declare her Senate seat vacant.
Under Nigeria’s constitutional framework, a senator can be recalled if a petition is signed by at least one-quarter of the registered voters in the senator’s constituency.
With more than half of the registered voters in Kogi Central backing the petition, the recall process could now proceed, pending INEC’s review and actions.
The receipt of the petition marks the beginning of a significant process, which will involve verification of signatures, the establishment of the grounds for recall, and eventually, a referendum in the constituency to determine whether Akpoti-Uduaghan should be removed from office.
The petition for Akpoti-Uduaghan’s recall adds to the growing political tension in Kogi Central, as constituents express their discontent with their elected representative.
As the process unfolds, the senator’s political future will be closely scrutinized, and her response to the recall petition will likely be a key factor in determining the outcome.
The situation is also expected to generate further discussions around the role of elected officials, the power of constituents to hold their representatives accountable, and the strength of Nigeria’s democratic processes.
