INEC Rejects Petition to Recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

INEC Rejects Petition to Recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially rejected the petition seeking to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District.

In a statement released on Thursday, the electoral body declared that the petition failed to meet the constitutional requirements necessary for initiating a recall process against a sitting senator.

Earlier this week, INEC confirmed receiving a formal petition from some constituents of Kogi Central, calling for the commencement of the recall process. The petition was submitted at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday and was received by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.

The petition, titled ‘Constituents’ Petition for the Recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Grounds of Loss of Confidence’, claimed to have gathered over 250,000 signatures from the district’s estimated 480,000 registered voters.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is currently under suspension by the Senate for allegedly violating legislative rules.

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Despite the claims made by petitioners, INEC, in its statement, cited Section 69(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) as the legal basis for its decision to reject the recall request. The statement read: “The petition for the recall of the Senator representing the Kogi Central Senatorial District has not met the requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).”

The rejection of the petition follows public statements by former Senator Ishaku Abbo, who previously asserted in an interview that “Nobody can remove Senator Natasha.” His remarks had fueled speculations that the recall attempt would not succeed.

With this decision, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan remains in office, though her suspension from the Senate continues to generate debates within political circles.

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