INEC receives petition for Natasha’s recall

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has received the petition seeking the recall process of the senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The INEC Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, received the petition on Monday, March 24, 2025.

The constituents, in a letter signed by the Lead Petitioner, Salihu Habib, submitted at INEC headquarters in Abuja on Monday, declared that they no longer have confidence in Akpoti-Uduaghan as their senator and representative in the National Assembly.

The petitioners, under the aegis of Concerned Kogi Youth and Women, urged INEC to act with urgency and impartiality in processing the petition, in the interest of democratic accountability, governance integrity, and the peace and progress of the people of Kogi State and Nigeria.

They stated: “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 Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan from the Nigerian senate.

“In particular, this petition for the recall of 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.”

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A Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State, had restrained INEC from receiving petitions to initiate a recall process against Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The presiding judge, Justice Isa Dashen, gave the order after listening to the application moved by the counsel for the applicants, Smart Nwachimere of West-Idahosa (SAN) & Co, on Friday, March 21.

The applicants – Anebe Jacob Ogirma, John Adebosi, Musa Adeiza, Ahmed Usman, and Maleek Yahaya – had through their counsel sued INEC over the recalling process of Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The applicants prayed the court to order INEC not to receive any petition by purported members of Kogi Central Senatorial District for the purpose of initiating a recall process for Akpoti-Uduaghan, pending the determination of the motion on notice to the same effect.

The ex-parte application for the interim injunction was supported by an Affidavit of Extreme Urgency together with other court processes sworn to by Anebe Ogirima for himself and four others who are registered voters and constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District.

Justice Dashen granted the application and ordered that the court order and motion on notice be served on INEC.

The judge fixed May 6 for the report of service and further mention of the case.

The Star