No going back on moves to recall Akpoti-Uduaghan

Some residents of Kogi Central Senatorial District on Thursday vowed never to back down on the process to recall their senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, from the National Assembly.

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Rather, they insisted that they would fine-tune the process.

The petitioners, in a statement issued on Thursday by Salihu Habib, said there was no going back on their resolve to recall the senator who is believed by many to enjoy the support of the majority of the members of her constituency.

The petitioners, however, thanked the Independent National Electoral Commission for allegedly validating 208,132 (43.86 per cent) signatures in the petition earlier submitted to it for Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan’s recall even though INEC has not said it validated the signatures.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the renewed determination by the concerned constituents was sequel to INEC’s declaration of some defects in the recall petition they had hitherto presented to it.

INEC had, in a statement on Thursday, said the petition failed to meet the minimum requirement prescribed by the Constitution.

.”The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) hereby notifies the public that the petition for the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, which was submitted to the Commission on Monday 24h March 2025 by representatives of the petitioners who are registered voters in the constituency, has not met the requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended),” the statement said.

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It added. “Consequently, no further action shall be taken on the petition,”

However, the petitioners, who said they are registered voters of Kogi Central, said that they had mobilised more than the 50 per cent plus one threshold of registered voters and submitted their petition with full documentation.

They, however, noted that the alleged validation of 43.86 per cent by INEC was a confirmation that Kogi Central constituents had rejected the senator.

“Apparently, INEC cancelled not less than 35,000 signatures from the administrative signatures collected.

“We will liaise with INEC within the full ambits of the constitution and regulations to demand for transparency in the handling of our petition.

“We have utmost confidence in the commission not to subject the recall process to ambiguity or administrative opacity,” they said.

The petitioners expressed gratitude to INEC for proving naysayers, who queried the authenticity of their figures, wrong.

“We thank INEC for making it clear that the bulk of the people of Kogi Central are behind us and that we did not import a crowd like a desperate, embattled lawmaker,” they said.

The petitioners insisted that the recall of Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan “for misconduct and divisiveness” was non-negotiable.

“We are firm in our resolve to restore dignified and collaborative representation to Kogi Central senatorial district. We will no longer indulge someone who will do and say anything just to remain politically relevant.

“The whole of Nigeria watched her deceptive rally last Tuesday where she openly made comments capable of setting, not just Kogi State, but Nigeria ablaze.

“We will pursue all lawful and constitutional means to ensure our voices are heard and respected. After God, power belongs to the people,” they stated.

Last week, the petitioners, under the aegis of Concerned Kogi Youth and Women, submitted a petition to INEC for the recall of Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan.

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They said they had lost confidence in her and that the petition should commence her recall.

Although, the commission initially said the petition lacked details, it subsequently wrote the senator and the Senate leadership information them of the process in line with Section 69 of the constitution.

Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan has been on suspension since 6 March for allegedly breaching the Senate rules earlier in February.

She defied the ban on rallies by the police and the Kogi State Government to address her supporters in her hometown after flying into the state by helicopter.