March 27, 2025 – Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, has stated that she has not received a recall notice from INEC regarding a petition for her removal. This statement follows the circulation of a notice from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the internet.
When contacted, Senator Natasha confirmed that she had not seen any formal notification from INEC. In response to the notice circulating online, which was reportedly sent to her, she questioned whether published notices on INEC’s social media accounts are sufficient. “I haven’t been served. I will ask my lawyers,” she said.
The notice, dated March 25, 2025, and signed by the Commission’s Secretary, Mrs. Rose Oriaran Anthony, announces the receipt of a petition from registered voters in her constituency seeking her recall from the Senate. It states that this notification follows the rules set out in Section 69 of the Nigerian Constitution.
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Despite Senator Natasha’s claims, INEC has confirmed that they officially accepted the petition seeking her recall after the petitioners submitted their contact details. This decision came after an earlier rejection due to the lack of verifiable contact information.
In a statement released on March 26, 2025, INEC confirmed that the petitioners addressed their deficiencies by providing necessary details, including their contact addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses in a letter to the Commission’s chairman. INEC is now moving forward to verify if the signatures collected exceed the constitutional requirement of more than 50 percent of the 474,554 registered voters in Kogi Central Senatorial District.
The notice of the recall petition has sparked controversy, with accusations of fraudulent signatures and allegations that it is a politically motivated move against Natasha by supporters of former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello. There are also claims that many voters were misled into signing the recall petition under the guise of an empowerment program.
Adding to the tension, a Federal High Court in Lokoja has issued an interim injunction that prevents INEC from acting on the recall petition until the matter is resolved. The case is scheduled for a hearing on May 6, 2025.
For now, Senator Natasha maintains that she has not received the recall notice from INEC and is awaiting further developments regarding the situation.
