Senator Natasha’s Seat At Risk: 90 Days To Determine The Outcome OF Recall Petition

Last week, constituents from Kogi Central submitted a recall petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seeking her removal from office. INEC is currently in the process of verifying the signatures attached to the petition. For the petition to move forward, it must be supported by more than half of the registered voters in Kogi Central.

According to Punch, if the required threshold is met, INEC will organize a referendum within 90 days of receiving the petition. The commission will issue a public notice outlining the referendum’s date, time, and location.

However, if the petition fails to meet the necessary signature threshold, a public notice will be issued to inform the public of the outcome.

INEC’s guidelines state that a referendum will only be held if more than half of the registered voters in the district support the petition.

The recall petition follows multiple controversies surrounding Akpoti-Uduaghan, including her suspension from the Senate on March 6, 2025, for alleged “gross misconduct” after a dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The petition cites “loss of confidence” as the primary reason, accusing the suspended senator of gross misconduct, abuse of office, and deceit.

The petition is accompanied by 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 five local government areas: Adavi, Ajaokuta, Ogori/Magongo, Okehi, and Okene.

As part of the recall process, INEC has notified Akpoti-Uduaghan of the receipt of the petition and forwarded a copy of the letter to the presiding officer of the Senate.