A Group of Registered voters from Kogi Central Constituency on Monday submitted a petition for the recall of embattled Senator, Natasha Akpoti- Uduaghan to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Natasha is presently on suspension by the Senate over alleged gross misconduct.
The petition for her recall dated 21st March 2025 was submitted at the INEC headquarters in Abuja by a group which described itself as Concerned Kogi Youth and Women.
The petition was addressed to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
It was titled, “Constituents Petition for the Recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on grounds of Loss of Confidence.”
In the petition the Kogi Central constituent said: “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.
“In particular, this petition for the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is brought pursuant to Section 68 of the 1999 Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended), as well as INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall Petitions.
“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.
“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
Speaking after submitting the petition, a leader of the group, Charity Ijoshe Omole told journalists that the move to recall Natasha was because her constituent have lost confidence in the senator.
She said; “We have lost confidence in her because of her gross misconduct that led to her suspension in the Senate and we the Kogi Central not to be represented.
“We have cone to recall her, because we cannot afford not to be represented. This petition is from Concerned Kogi Youth and Women.
“We, the people of Kogi Central voted her in, and we are here to recall her. We have four 488,000 registered voters and as I speak to you now, we have more than 250,000 voters who have signed for her recall”.
“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 commences the constitutional and procedural process of recall to remove Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from office and declare her seat vacant”.
INEC is expected to review the petition and initiate the verification process to determine the next steps in the recall procedure.
