By Abiola Olawale
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially received a petition from constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District of Kogi State requesting the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents the district in the Senate.
The petition, submitted on Monday, marks an escalation in the ongoing political tension surrounding the embattled senator.
The submission was confirmed by Charity Omole, a representative of the constituents, who addressed the press shortly after delivering the petition to INEC’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.
According to Omole, the petition carries the signatures of over 250,000 registered voters from Kogi Central.
“We submitted the petition because we cannot afford to lack representation in the Senate,” Omole stated.
“This is not about personal vendettas or external influence. We voted for Senator Natasha, but we no longer believe she serves our interests. The game is the game.”
The petition reads in part: “CONSTITUENTS’ PETITION FOR THE RECALL OF SENATOR NATASHA AKPOTI-UDUAGHAN ON GROUNDS OF LOSS OF CONFIDENCE
“Dear Sir,
1. We, the undersigned, being duly registered voters of the Kogi Central Senatorial District, hereby invoke our rights under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to formally demand the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from the Nigerian Senate.
2. In particular, this petition for the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is brought pursuant to Section 69 of the 1999 Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria (As Amended), as well as INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall Petitions.
3. Kindly recall that Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan emerged as our Senator by the verdict of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, on Tuesday, October 31, 2023, which affirmed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate as the winner of the February 25, 2023, Kogi Central Senatorial election.
4. This petition arises from our loss of confidence in the Senator on grounds of gross misconduct, abuse of office, evasion of due process and a pattern of deceitful behaviour that has not only embarrassed the people of the Kogi Central constituency but has also tarnished the integrity of the Nigerian Senate and our nation’s
democratic institutions.
5. By this petition, which we have made sure is signed by more than one-half of the registered voters in Kogi Central, we hereby demand that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) immediately commence the constitutional and procedural process of recall to remove Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from office and declare her seat vacant.”
The push for Natasha’s recall follows her controversial suspension from the Senate on March 6, 2025, for what was described as “gross misconduct” after a public altercation with the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, over seating arrangements.
The dispute, which escalated into allegations of sexual harassment against Akpabio, has polarized opinions across the country.
