The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is currently grappling with a formal petition seeking the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing the Kogi Central Senatorial District. This move follows Akpoti-Uduaghan’s suspension from the Senate on March 6, a controversial decision stemming from allegations of “gross misconduct” after a dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over seating arrangements. The senator had previously accused Akpabio of sexual harassment, further escalating political tensions.

On Monday, a delegation of constituents, identifying themselves as Concerned Kogi Youth and Women, arrived at INEC headquarters in Abuja to submit their petition. The lead petitioner, Salihu Habib, conveyed the group's loss of confidence in Akpoti-Uduaghan, citing gross misconduct in the senate, abuse of office, evasion of due process, and disrespect toward the presiding officer as primary reasons. The petitioners claim that the petition has garnered signatures from more than half of the registered voters within the Kogi Central Senatorial District, meeting a critical threshold required for initiating a recall process.

Mrs. Charity Omole, representing the petitioning constituents, addressed journalists, emphasizing the necessity of the recall to ensure the district's representation in the Senate. She stated, “We have come to recall her so that we can have a representative in the Senate. We are here to tell INEC to please follow the constitutional process for a recall so that a recall process can begin.” Omole also asserted that all required documents had been submitted to INEC alongside the petition.

According to Nigerian law, a recall petition must be signed by over 50 percent of registered voters in the constituency. INEC is then tasked with verifying these signatures before holding a referendum. The entire process must be concluded within 90 days from the date of submission. Omole indicated that the petition includes signatures from over 250,000 of the 488,000 registered voters in Kogi Central.

Dismissing suggestions of external influence, Omole denied that the recall effort was politically motivated or financially supported by outside interests. “We are the ones that voted her, and we don’t want her anymore because we cannot afford not to have a representative,” she stated. “Nobody is bankrolling us. Nobody is having any personal issue with her. It is just what it is. The game is the game.”

Hamza Yakubu, another petitioner, urged the people of Kogi Central to remain calm as the recall process unfolds, emphasizing that “politics and good governance are things that should be driven by logic and not emotion.” He added, “At the moment, what we are doing is what is right because we are doing what the constituents want from us; we are representing the constituents at the moment and what we are doing is right.”

Meanwhile, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has refuted claims that she apologized to the Senate following her suspension. In a statement released on Monday, she alleged facing “coordinated efforts to suppress her voice” within the National Assembly and accused certain individuals of spreading false narratives. “The purported reports circulating that I have apologized to the Senate and retracted my position are completely untrue. I stand firmly by my words and actions, and I have not issued any apology to the Senate or anyone regarding this matter,” she asserted.

The senator urged the public to disregard these reports, reiterating her commitment to truth, justice, and her constituents. “This is not just about me; it is about the integrity of our democracy. I will not be intimidated or forced into submission through false narratives,” she declared.

INEC has acknowledged receiving the petition, with INEC Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, officially accepting the document on Monday. The commission is reportedly meeting to discuss the next steps in the recall process, according to a message from INEC Assistant Director of Publicity, Esther Chibuikem.