Some constituents of the Kogi Central Senatorial District have initiated a recall process against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, citing dissatisfaction with her representation.
The recall effort, which took place in Okehi Local Government Area on Wednesday, saw a significant turnout of voters expressing their lack of confidence in Akpoti-Uduaghan’s performance, particularly regarding issues such as poverty, infrastructure, and education.
One of the participants, Nura Ibrahim, explained that the decision transcended political affiliations, emphasizing that attempts to engage with the senator had been met with “disdain and arrogance.”
“The decision to initiate the recall process was not taken lightly. Stakeholders made several efforts to communicate with her, but we were ignored,” Ibrahim said.
The recall process is expected to span two days across all polling units in the five local governments of Kogi Central. During this period, voters are required to sign a petition seeking Akpoti-Uduaghan’s removal.
However, reports emerged that some constituents were misled into signing the petition. According to sources, a town crier allegedly announced an empowerment program, attracting unsuspecting residents who were then asked to submit their voter card numbers in exchange for money.
When contacted, the Kogi State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Gabriel Longpet, denied knowledge of the recall process, stating, “I am not aware of any recall process, apart from unconfirmed reports on social media.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan is currently serving a six-month suspension from the Senate following a clash with Senate President Godswill Akpabio, during which she accused him of sexual harassment.
According to INEC guidelines, a recall petition must be presented to the Commission’s Chairman and signed by more than half of the registered voters in the constituency. Verification will be carried out at polling units to confirm the legitimacy of the signatures.
The team behind the process arrived at the initially with security men blaring a siren as captured in a clip by a resident.
The venue initially appeared scanty until a couple of hours later when residents start turning up.
A man can be seen in another clip tackling his fellow residents wondering why he was supporting Akpabio against her own sister.
Speaking in their local dialect, the man told his mate to have some shame and stop trying to bring their daughter down.
He said if Akpabio and Akpoti-Uduaghan were fighting, it was not right for him to side with an outsider against their sister.
