Senator Natasha’s Fate To Be Decided In 90 Days Following Recall Petition

The fate of suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing the Kogi Central Senatorial District, will be decided within the next 90 days.

Last week, constituents from Kogi Central submitted a recall petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), seeking to remove Akpoti-Uduaghan from office. INEC is now in the process of verifying the signatures attached to the petition.

For the petition to progress, it must be endorsed by more than half of the registered voters in the Kogi Central District.

According to Punch, if the required threshold is met, the commission will organize a referendum within 90 days from receiving the petition. According to INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024, a public notice will be issued, providing details of the referendum’s time, date, and location.

However, if the petition fails to meet the necessary number of signatures, a public notice will be issued informing the public of this outcome.

INEC’s guidelines dictate that a referendum will only be conducted if it is confirmed that over half of the registered voters in the district support the petition.

The recall petition stems from several controversies surrounding Akpoti-Uduaghan, including her suspension from the Senate on March 6, 2025, for alleged “gross misconduct” following a disagreement with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The petition cites “loss of confidence” as the main reason for the recall and accuses the suspended senator of gross misconduct, abuse of office, and deceit.

Accompanying the petition were six bags filled with documents containing signatures collected from more than half of the 474,554 registered voters in Kogi Central.

These signatures were gathered from 902 polling units across the five local government areas of Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi, and Okene.

As part of the recall process, Naija News gathered that INEC has sent a notification letter to Akpoti-Uduaghan, informing her of the receipt of the petition. A copy of the letter has also been forwarded to the presiding officer of the Senate.