Recall Efforts Against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to Continue, Says Petitioner

Sandra Umar, a resident of Kogi Central and one of the petitioners seeking to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has reaffirmed that the process will continue once constitutional requirements are met. Speaking on Television Continental (TVC) on Friday, Umar stated that the failure of the initial petition to meet the necessary threshold does not signal the end of the recall effort.

In March, a petition backed by some members of the Kogi Central constituency was submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), calling for the recall of Akpoti-Uduaghan following her suspension from the Senate for six months. The petitioners argued that the constituency could not afford to remain unrepresented during the suspension period.

INEC, however, ruled that the petition fell short of the constitutional requirement, with only 208,132 signatures collected out of 474,554 registered voters—amounting to 43.86%. The law mandates that a recall petition must be signed by at least 50% plus one of registered voters in the affected constituency. Despite rejecting the petition, INEC clarified that there is no limit to how many times a lawmaker can be subjected to a recall process.

Umar emphasized that the petitioners are determined to resume the process once they reach the required number of signatures. She also criticized Akpoti-Uduaghan for not heeding advice from fellow senators, suggesting that her suspension could have been avoided with an apology.

Addressing the senator’s allegations of sexual harassment, Umar said the claim remains a personal issue unless verified with evidence. She concluded that the senator’s suspension effectively leaves the constituency without federal representation, potentially depriving them of key democratic benefits for up to a year.