No fewer than 250,000 registered voters from the Kogi Central Senatorial District have formally submitted a recall petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seeking the removal of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
According to The Nation, the total number of registered voters in the district stands at 580,000, making the petition a significant expression of dissatisfaction among the electorate.
The petition was received on Monday at INEC’s headquarters in Abuja by the Secretary to the Commission, Mrs. Rose Oriaran-Anthony.
The petitioners have accused Akpoti-Uduaghan of “gross misconduct, abuse of office, evasion of due process, and deceitful behaviour,” which they claim have embarrassed the people of the district.
The constituents emphasized that the petition was submitted in line with Section 69 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall Petitions.
Naija News reports that the submission follows a court’s lifting of an order that had previously prohibited INEC from receiving the petition. The order had temporarily halted the petition’s submission but was overturned, paving the way for the move to proceed.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was suspended from her Senate duties on March 6, was accused of gross misconduct after a dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
In a public statement, she later accused Akpabio of sexual harassment, adding fuel to the already tense political environment.
The petition, signed by lead petitioner Salihu Habib, is a five-page document that outlines several accusations against the Senator, including allegations of recklessness, dishonesty, and misplaced priorities.
Habib expressed hope that INEC would act swiftly and impartially, stating, “We urge INEC, as a constitutionally mandated electoral body, to act with urgency and impartiality in processing this petition. We look forward to INEC’s impartial actions in this regard in the interest of democratic accountability, governance integrity, and the peace and progress of the good people of Kogi Central Senatorial District, Kogi State, and our great country, Nigeria.”
The recall process, as stipulated by INEC’s guidelines, involves three key stages. The first stage requires the collation of signatures from more than half of the registered voters in the district calling for the recall.
The second stage involves submitting the register and signatories to INEC for verification. Finally, the third stage is the conduct of a referendum, where the commission will conduct a ‘yes or no’ vote.
If a majority votes in favour of the recall, a Certificate of Recall will be sent to the Senate President, triggering the Senator’s removal.
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