Recall Rejected! Natasha, PDP Put INEC on Alert as Petitioners Plot Next Move
INEC Rejects Recall Petition Against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan Amidst Mixed Reactions
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially rejected the recall petition targeting Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central, stating that the effort failed to meet constitutional requirements. The move has drawn widespread support from notable figures and political groups, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former education minister Oby Ezekwesili.
Despite this, the petitioners remain resolute, vowing to intensify efforts to oust the embattled Senator.
In its Thursday announcement, INEC revealed that the recall petition did not meet the necessary threshold: more than half of the registered voters in Kogi Central, which boasts 474,554 voters. According to the commission, a valid petition would require at least 237,278 signatories. However, after careful verification, only 208,132 signatures—43.86%—were deemed valid, falling short by 29,146.
Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chair of the Information and Voter Education Committee, stated that the commission followed the 2024 Guidelines for Recall in reviewing the documents. INEC had earlier published the petition on its website and informed both the petitioners and Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan of the necessary procedures.
INEC emphasized the constitutional mandate under Section 69(a), reiterating that the recall process could not proceed due to insufficient backing from registered constituents. The commission issued a public notice, copied to the Senate’s presiding officer, declaring the process terminated.
The PDP lauded INEC’s decision. Timothy Osadolor, Deputy National Youth Leader of the party, said the commission finally acted in alignment with the law. “For once, I commend INEC. This is the courage we’ve long demanded from the electoral body,” Osadolor noted.
Oby Ezekwesili echoed similar sentiments, praising Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s resilience on X (formerly Twitter). “Senator @NatashaAkpoti keeps winning. Their orchestrated fraudulent recall has failed. This injustice shall not be sustained,” she wrote.
Amnesty International also weighed in, calling for an end to the intimidation of Akpoti-Uduaghan and demanding a proper investigation into her allegations of sexual harassment against Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
Still, the petitioners claimed their effort had exposed a loss of confidence in the Senator. According to Salihu Habib, their leader, “INEC’s 43.86% validation still proves that a majority of Kogi Central constituents are against her.” Habib accused INEC of cancelling over 35,000 signatures during its administrative review but maintained that their movement would persist within legal bounds.
He added that the group would continue engaging INEC for transparency and expressed gratitude for what he described as validation of their grassroots support.
The petitioners insisted that Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had failed her constituents, accusing her of divisive rhetoric and irresponsibility. They referenced a recent rally, criticizing her remarks for allegedly inflaming regional tensions. “How can a Senator try to pit the North against the South over LNG projects?” the petitioners asked.
Victor Giwa, legal counsel to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, dismissed the recall campaign as a distraction. “They should focus on national issues and allow Natasha to do her job,” he said, urging critics to wait until the next election to express their dissatisfaction.
Giwa also welcomed INEC’s decision, suggesting it might prompt the Senate to reconsider the Senator’s controversial six-month suspension. “Now that the recall has failed, there’s no barrier left. Akpabio should lift the suspension,” he added.
In a statement released by her media team, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan thanked INEC for standing by the Constitution. She condemned those behind the recall attempt, including former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello, accusing them of orchestrating the move to silence her.
“God has put anti-democratic forces to shame,” she said. “INEC’s verdict is justice over injustice. I will continue to serve my people and fight for the oppressed.”
During an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, the suspended Senator criticized Governor Usman Ododo for trying to restrict her communication with constituents. She emphasized that a recent meeting held at her residence was private and lawful.
“I don’t believe the Governor has the right to tell me how to meet my people. That was my private compound. Every time I return home, my people gather there,” she stated.
She described how she had worked to calm rising tensions among her supporters following her Senate suspension. “My people were angry. I urged them to remain peaceful. That’s what responsible leadership is about,” she said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan insisted that her suspension did not strip her of legitimacy and reaffirmed her commitment to educate and engage her constituents.
She also expressed disappointment in Governor Ododo, alleging that he aligned with former Governor Bello and Senate President Akpabio to instigate the recall. According to her, the original petition was submitted by Ododo’s special advisers. “I deal with facts, not rumours,” she said.
The Kogi Central People’s Alliance, meanwhile, celebrated INEC’s verdict. The group’s coordinator, Baba Abdulrazaq, called it a win for democracy. “This recall effort was a sham from the start. The people of Kogi Central have spoken,” he said.
However, the group questioned the accuracy of INEC’s signature validation and called for a forensic investigation into what it described as attempted electoral fraud.
In a separate development, Senate President Godswill Akpabio distanced himself from a pro-Akpabio rally scheduled in his hometown. His media aide, Jackson Udom, said Akpabio had no knowledge of the rally and urged security agencies to stop it. “This is the work of fifth columnists trying to manipulate public perception,” the statement read.
