Recall petition: Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan accuses INEC of bias

Suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, has strongly criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for what she describes as its biased handling of the petition seeking her recall from the Senate.

In a statement, the embattled senator accused the electoral commission of compromising its neutrality by failing to outrightly reject the petition due to procedural lapses.

INEC had earlier confirmed receiving a recall petition against Akpoti-Uduaghan, which reportedly included signatures from more than half of the 474,554 registered voters in her senatorial district.

The commission’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, stated that while the petition had been received, it lacked essential details required under the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Recall 2024.

INEC highlighted that the petition did not include the contact addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of the petitioners, making it procedurally incomplete.

However, rather than dismissing the petition, the commission indicated that it would await the necessary corrections before proceeding with the verification of signatures.

Reacting through her lawyer, Victor Giwa, in a letter dated March 26, 2025, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan accused INEC of partiality, stating that its response to the petition was a clear indication of bias in favor of the petitioners.

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She argued that INEC, by acknowledging the petition’s defects, should have outrightly dismissed it rather than offering the petitioners an opportunity to correct their errors.

“Your position, as disclosed in your press release on March 25, 2025, signed by Sam Olumekun, shows that the Commission has taken sides and has become partial in favor of the petitioners in this case,” the letter read.

The senator insisted that INEC’s proper course of action should have been to declare the petition incompetent and disregard it entirely, instead of guiding the petitioners on how to rectify their mistakes.

“The Commission has observed that the petition did not meet the threshold required for a recall process, yet instead of declaring it ‘incompetent,’ it chose to advise the petitioners on how to meet the requirements. This is clear partisanship,” she added.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan further raised concerns about the authenticity of the signatures attached to the recall petition.

She noted that the only address provided in the petition was located in Okene, Kogi State, which, in her view, suggests that the alleged signatories may not be representative of the entire senatorial district.

“The petition states that the 250 signatories all came from Okene, Kogi State, which is questionable and does not reflect the diverse electorate of Kogi Central,” she said.

The suspended senator accused INEC of undermining public trust by allowing the petitioners to amend their submission instead of ruling it invalid. She urged the commission to reconsider its stance and dismiss the petition entirely to maintain its credibility.

“By allowing the petitioners to correct their errors rather than disqualifying the petition outright, INEC is breaching due process and fostering public distrust,” Akpoti-Uduaghan stated.

She called on the electoral body to reverse its decision and uphold fairness in the recall process, warning that failing to do so would further erode confidence in the electoral system.

This development adds to the ongoing political turbulence in Kogi State, where Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has faced opposition from various quarters.

Her suspension from the Senate and the push for her recall signal a deepening power struggle within Kogi Central’s political landscape.

While INEC maintains that it is acting within its constitutional mandate, Akpoti-Uduaghan’s supporters argue that the recall process is being politically manipulated to remove her from office.

With tensions escalating, all eyes are on INEC’s next move, as the fate of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan hangs in the balance.