On Monday, March 24, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) received a formal petition from the constituents of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, calling for the beginning of her recall process from the Nigerian Senate.
The petition was handed over to Rose Oriaran-Anthony, the Secretary to the Commission, at INEC’s headquarters in Abuja. Senator Natasha, who represents Kogi Central in the Senate, is currently suspended for allegedly violating Senate rules.
The petitioners claimed that over 250,000 constituents had signed the document, which is more than half of the approximately 480,000 registered voters in the district.
The petition, titled Constituents’ Petition for the Recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Grounds of Loss of Confidence, reads: “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.”
It continues: “This petition 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.”
The petitioners explained that their request stemmed from a loss of confidence in Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, citing accusations of gross misconduct, abuse of office, evading due process, and a pattern of deceitful behavior that they believe has embarrassed the people of Kogi Central and harmed the integrity of the Nigerian Senate and democratic institutions.
The petition concludes with a demand: “By this petition, which we have made sure is signed by more than 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.”
