The future of suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, will be decided within the next 90 days. Constituents from the district submitted a recall petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) last week.
INEC is currently verifying the signatures submitted by petitioners. For the recall to move forward, it must receive support from more than half of the registered voters in Kogi Central. If this requirement is met, INEC will organize a referendum within 90 days of receiving the petition.
Under the 2024 Regulations and Guidelines for Recall, if the petition gathers enough support, INEC will issue a public announcement with the time, date, and location for the referendum. If the signatures fall short, INEC will issue a notice confirming this outcome.
The recall petition follows a series of controversies surrounding Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was suspended from the Senate on March 6 for alleged gross misconduct after a disagreement with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The petition cites a “loss of confidence” in her leadership, accusing her of misconduct, abuse of office, and deceit.
The signatures were collected from over half of the 474,554 registered voters in the district, covering 902 polling units across five local government areas.
INEC has already notified Akpoti-Uduaghan and the presiding officer of the Senate about the petition.
Debo Adeniran, Executive Director of the Centre for Anti-Corruption and Open Leadership, observed that previous recall efforts have failed due to the difficulty of collecting and verifying signatures. He emphasized the need for a simpler process that aligns with democratic values.
Auwal Rafsanjani, Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, called for a nationwide discussion on the recall system, urging a legal framework that allows recalls only for legitimate reasons, such as corruption or breach of public trust.
