Court restrains INEC from receiving petition to recall Natasha Akpoti

The federal high court in Lokoja has granted an interim injunction preventing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting or acting on petitions to recall Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the Kogi central senator.

The court granted the order on Thursday following an ex-parte application for an interim injunction, supported by an “affidavit of extreme urgency”.

On Wednesday, videos circulating on social media appeared to show constituents signing documents as part of the recall process. A source in Kogi had  confirmed that efforts to recall the senator were underway.

Court documents seen by TheCable showed that the application was filed by Anebe Jacob Ogirima and four other registered voters from Kogi central. They were represented by Smart Nwachimere of West-Idahosa, SAN & Co.

The court order prohibits INEC and its representatives from accepting or acting on petitions linked to the recall, which the applicants claim contain fictitious signatures.

The order also bars the electoral commission from conducting a referendum on the matter until the substantive case is resolved.

“That an interim injunction is granted restraining the defendant, staff, agents, privies or assigns from receiving, accepting or acting in any way whatsoever on any purported petitions submitted to the defendant by any person or persons whatsoever, containing fictitious signatures and names of purported members of the said district and conducting any referendum to initiate a recall process of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as senator pending the determination of the motion,” the order reads.

The order of the court and the motion on notice are to be served on the defendant (INEC).

Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the senate on March 6 for “gross misconduct” following a seating arrangement dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio. She had earlier accused Akpabio of sexual harassment.