Akpoti-Uduaghan speaks on recall process by constituents

The suspended Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has said the petition submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by some voters in her constituency for her recall was fraudulent.

Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan stated this in a statement posted on her official Facebook account on Saturday.

Last Monday, some voters in Kogi central senatorial district, under the aegis of the Concerned Kogi Youth and Women submitted a petition to INEC in Abuja for her recall from Senate.

In the petition addressed to INEC chairperson, Mahmood Yakubu, members of the group said they had lost confidence in Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s representation at the National Assembly and, therefore, asked the commission to commence the process of recalling her.

The petition, reportedly signed by over 250,000 registered voters out of over 480,000 total registered voters in Kogi Central, meets the required threshold of 50 per cent of registered voters needed to achieve a recall process.

INEC had detected errors in the petition initially. It said the petition did not include the contact address, telephone numbers and email addresses of the petitioners.

A day later, the electoral commission announced that it had received from the group the details the petition did not contain and that it was ready to proceed with the process.

INEC also notified the Senate and Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan of the recall petition.

However, the Senate has yet to issue a statement confirming whether it has received the notice.

Akpoti-Uduaghan condemns process

In response, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan condemned her planned recall, labelling it as fraudulent exercise.

She also reiterated her stance on her six-month suspension from the Senate, maintaining that it was illegal and politically motivated.

The embattled lawmaker reaffirmed her sexual harassment allegations against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

“Against intimidation, illegal suspension and fraudulent recall, I stand my ground on my sexual harassment claim against the Nigerian Senate President Godswill Akpabio,” she wrote in the statement.

Allegation of manipulated documentary

In addition to the recall controversy, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan raised the alarm about a 2015 CNN documentary featuring her, which she claimed has been manipulated to tarnish her reputation.

“My attention has been drawn to my feature in a 2015 @cnn documentary by @Christian Purefoy which captured the essence of Yoruba culture through Aunty Nike Okundaye of @nikeartfoundation.

“Unscrupulous persons (like one in the attached) have maliciously misinterpreted the intent using @battabox version of the documentary. As a Christian, daughter to a Muslim father, I respect all religions and appreciate the beauty in all legal aspects of Nigerian culture,” she added.

Failed recall moves

Since the current democratic dispensation began in 1999, there has been no successful recall initiated against lawmakers.

Among those whose recall failed are Dino Melaye, a former senator for Kogi West, Ali Ndume of Borno South Senatorial District, Abdulmumin Jibrin, a member of the House of Representatives, and Datti Mohammed, another member of the lower chamber.

There were also threats to recall Chris Ngige, a former senator for Anambra Central and Farouk Lawan, a former federal lawmaker from Kano State.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s ordeal

The Senate had, on 6 March slammed a six-month suspension on Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan based on the recommendations of its ethics, privileges and public petitions committee.

The committee found her guilty of breaching the Senate rules following her conduct in the chamber on the day she rejected a new seat allocated to her.

She later accused Mr Akpabio of sexual harassment, though the senate president denied the allegation. She claimed she was being persecuted for making the allegation against him.

With INEC moving forward with the recall process and the legal obstacles removed, the fate of Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s senatorial position is still uncertain.