On Wednesday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) notified Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio that the contact information for the petitioners involved in the recall process has been updated.
This adjustment stemmed from the constituents’ amendment to rectify a previous mistake in the recall petition.
Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, announced that the revised contact details—such as phone numbers and email addresses—were submitted to INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu earlier that day.
This update followed concerns raised by INEC in a statement issued the previous day, which highlighted the petitioners’ initial failure to include the required contact information, as outlined in the Commission’s 2024 Regulations and Guidelines for Recall.
Consequently, INEC confirmed that an official letter was sent to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, notifying her of the receipt of the recall petition. The letter was delivered to her official address and also shared with the Senate’s presiding officer. Additionally, the updated information has been made publicly accessible on INEC’s website.
In the statement, it was emphasized that the next step involves INEC verifying whether the petition has received endorsements from over 50 percent of the registered voters in Kogi Central. The results of this verification will dictate subsequent actions in the recall process, which will be communicated to the public shortly.
INEC reassured the public of the transparency and adherence to legal guidelines throughout the process. The statement noted, “The next task is to verify the list of signatories from the petitioners to confirm that the petition has been endorsed by more than half of the registered voters in the constituency. The outcome will be made public and will determine the Commission’s next steps.”
The recall petition, presented by Charity Ijese, was received and stamped by INEC Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday. This recall action follows a series of contentious incidents involving Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was suspended from the Senate on March 6 for alleged “gross misconduct” due to a dispute with Akpabio, whom she accused of sexual harassment.
The constituents claim to meet the constitutional requirements for the recall process, asserting that over 200,000 registered voters—more than half of the district’s electorate—signed the petition, titled “Constituents’ Petition for the Recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan on Grounds of Loss of Confidence.” The petition cites various allegations against the senator, including gross misconduct and abuse of office.
In their petition, the constituents declared, “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.”
In another development, Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi of Ebonyi North has expressed no regrets regarding his heated disagreement with former Education Minister Oby Ezekwesili during a hearing that addressed a petition alleging sexual harassment against Senate President Akpabio.
Ezekwesili had appeared before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions on Tuesday, reviewing the petition related to Akpoti-Uduaghan’s accusations against Akpabio. She was supported by Zubairu Yakubu, who signed the petition on behalf of Akpoti-Uduaghan, and the senator’s legal counsel, Abiola Akiyode.
Tensions flared during the hearing when Nwebonyi asked to make a statement, prompting Ezekwesili to interrupt him. The exchange escalated, with Nwebonyi criticizing her tone, stating, “You will never be a senator,” and questioning her disrespect towards him.
Nwebonyi later justified his outburst in an interview, claiming he was responding to what he perceived as disrespectful behavior from Ezekwesili, emphasizing, “She was the one being emotional.”
In response to the incident, Ezekwesili defended her actions, affirming her satisfaction with the outcome and highlighting the societal challenges faced by women in patriarchal structures. She stated that it brought attention to the issues women often endure, pushing the conversation into the public sphere.
