Petitioner says moves to recall Natasha Akpoti will continue

Sandra Umar, a constituent of Kogi central, says the process for the recall of Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan will continue when requirements are met.

In March, some members of the Kogi central constituency submitted a petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) requesting the recall of Akpoti-Uduaghan, senator representing Kogi central, following her six-month suspension from the senate.

They argued that they could not afford not to have a representative in the senate for the suspension period.

INEC had held that the petition seeking to recall Akpoti-Uduaghan failed to meet the constitutional requirements.

The electoral umpire said the petition was signed by 208,132 out of 474,554 registered voters in the constituency. This represents 43.86% against the constitutional requirement of at least 50%+1 persons registered to vote in the constituency.

The electoral body added that the constitution does not limit the number of times a lawmaker can be recalled.

Speaking when she featured on Television Continental (TVC) on Friday, Umar, who is one of the petitioners, said the process was not halted.

“What I know very well is that INEC said it was inadequate doesn’t mean that the process had been put on a halt. We’re believing that once we’re able to meet up with the level of compliance that they need for it to be adequate, the process will definitely take its course,” Umar said.

Umar further said Akpoti-Uduaghan could have avoided getting suspended had she listened to her colleagues in the chamber and apologised.

The petitioner also said the sexual harassment claim by the senator is “a personal thing until verifiable evidence is available”.

“So what we know is that she has been given a suspension for six months, and that is tentative for one year. And that means that we’re going to be out of the dividends of democracy for that period of time,” she said.