Registered voters in Kogi Central Senatorial District have formally petitioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to commence the recall process of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from the Nigerian Senate, citing allegations of gross misconduct, abuse of office and violation of public trust.
The petition, dated March 21, 2025, and received by INEC on March 24, was submitted by constituents invoking their constitutional rights under Section 69 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and in accordance with INEC’s official guidelines on legislative recall.
“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 stated.
According to the signatories, the senator’s conduct since her swearing-in has allegedly brought “embarrassment” to the people of Kogi Central and “tarnished the integrity” of the Nigerian Senate. The petitioners allege a consistent pattern of “deceitful behavior, evasion of due process, and abuse of office” as grounds for their action.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was declared the validly elected senator for Kogi Central on October 31, 2023, by the Court of Appeal after a protracted legal battle affirmed her victory in the February 25, 2023, general election.
The petitioners claim that the current move is not politically motivated but a reflection of widespread dissatisfaction across the constituency. They further noted that more than half of the registered voters in Kogi Central have signed the petition — meeting the constitutional requirement to initiate a recall process.
INEC is now expected to commence the signature verification phase as stipulated by law, after which a referendum will be conducted to determine whether the recall process will proceed to completion.
The commission has yet to issue an official statement on the petition, and Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has not responded publicly to the development as of the time of this report.
The recall push comes weeks after the senator was suspended from the red chamber for six months over what was described as “unparliamentary conduct.” Akpoti-Uduaghan later alleged that the suspension was politically motivated and linked it to her rejection of inappropriate advances by Senate President Godswill Akpabio — a claim that has yet to be independently verified.
Political analysts say the unfolding recall process could set a major legal and political precedent, especially as Akpoti-Uduaghan is one of only four women in the 10th Senate.
As the process advances, attention will shift to INEC’s handling of the next stages and the potential implications for democratic accountability, electoral integrity, and gender representation in Nigeria’s political system.
