Natasha Akpoti’s constituents submit petition to INEC for her recall

Some members of Kogi central constituency have submitted a petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) requesting the recall of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing the district. 

In order to recall a federal lawmaker, a petition must be submitted to the commission’s chairman, signed by more than 50 percent of the registered voters in the constituency, followed by a verification, and then a referendum.

The law provides that a recall process must be concluded within 90 days from the date of receipt of the petition.

Speaking on Monday, Charity Omole, a representative of the constituents, said they submitted the petition to recall the senator because the constituency cannot afford not to have a representative in the senate.

BREAKING: Kogi Central Submits Natasha’s Recall Letter to INEC

Over 250,000 out of 480,000 voters sign Petition pic.twitter.com/vzJCU2xqIo

— Oguntoye Opeyemi (@Equityoyo) March 24, 2025

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Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the senate on March 6 for “gross misconduct” after a seating arrangement altercation with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The suspension came just days after she accused Akpabio of sexually harassing her.

“We have come to recall her so that we can have a representative in the senate. We are here to tell lNEC to please follow the constitutional process for a recall so that a recall process can begin,” Omole said.

“We submitted the petition and it has been received. All other documents have been received.”

She said the constituents are not being bankrolled to recall the senator, adding that they voted for her and simply do not want her anymore.

“We are the ones that voted her and we don’t want her anymore because we cannot afford not to have a representative. Nobody is bankrolling us. Nobody is having any personal issue with her. It is just what it is. The game is the game,” she said.

The representative said there are 488,000 registered voters in Kogi central, out of which more than 250,000 have signed the recall petition.

“INEC is an institutional body. They would have to follow due process. So they will get back to us and do their job,” she added.