INEC receives petition seeking to recall Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from senate

Registered voters in Kogi Central Senatorial District have formally petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recall Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from the Nigerian Senate.

The petition, dated March 21, 2025, cites “loss of confidence” in the senator due to allegations of “gross misconduct, abuse of office, evasion of due process, and a pattern of deceitful behavior.”

In the petition addressed to the INEC chairman and stamped as received on March 24, 2025, the petitioners assert their right under Nigerian law to seek Akpoti-Uduaghan’s removal.

“We, the undersigned, being duly registered voters of the Kogi Central Senatorial District, hereby invoke our rights under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to formally demand the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from the Nigerian Senate,” the petition states.

The petitioners reference Section 69 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and INEC’s recall guidelines as the legal basis for their demand. They recall that Akpoti-Uduaghan was declared the winner of the February 25, 2023, senatorial election by the Court of Appeal on October 31, 2023, after a legal battle affirmed her victory under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The petitioners claim that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s actions have “not only embarrassed the people of Kogi Central constituency but also tarnished the integrity of the Nigerian Senate and our nation’s democratic institutions.”

The petition further states, “By this petition, which we have made sure is signed by more than one-half of the registered voters in Kogi Central, we hereby demand that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) immediately commence the constitutional and procedural process of recall to remove Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from office and declare her seat vacant.”

INEC is yet to issue a public response regarding the petition. Under Nigerian law, the commission is required to verify the petition signatures and conduct a referendum before a recall process can be finalized. Also, Akpoti-Uduaghan has not yet made a public statement regarding the petition.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of four women in the senate, was recently suspended for six months over her conduct in the red chamber.

The Kogi senator alleged that she is being punished for rejecting sexual advances from Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Taofeek Oyedokun

Taofeek Oyedokun is a correspondent at BusinessDay with years of experience reporting on political economy, public policy, migration, environment/climate change, and social justice. A graduate of Political Science from the University of Lagos, he has also earned multiple professional certificates in journalism and media-related training. Known for his clear, data-driven reporting, Oyedokun covers a wide range of national and international socioeconomic issues, bringing depth, balance, and public-interest focus to his work.