Ola Akinwunmi
Constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District have escalated efforts to recall their representative, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, citing actions they describe as an “international embarrassment.
The move follows a series of controversies involving the senator, including allegations of misconduct and a recent suspension from the Nigerian Senate.
The Kogi Central Elites Forum, comprising indigenes from the district’s five local government areas, issued a statement on Thursday reaffirming their commitment to the recall process. The statement, signed by the forum’s President, Alhaji Ibrahim Ibrahim, and Secretary, Prince Akerejola Johnson, emphasized that the senator’s recent actions have tarnished the community’s reputation on a global scale.
No one is sponsoring this recall. Our people are largely united on this cause. From the history of Ebiras, you know we cannot be deceived,” the statement read.
A matter as simple as not taking an assigned seat in the Senate should not be one that would warrant a ‘sexual harassment’ national embarrassment of this nature, especially where all evidence points to blackmail. This is not who we are as Ebiras.
The controversy intensified in February 2025 when Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment, alleging the incident occurred in December 2023. Akpabio denied the allegations, suggesting they emerged only after changes to her committee assignments. Subsequently, on March 6, 2025, the Senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months, citing violations of Senate rules, including refusal to sit in her assigned seat and making abusive remarks against the leadership.
In response to the suspension, constituents initiated a recall process, with signature collection reportedly underway across the district. Videos circulating on social media depict residents lining up to sign the recall petition.
However, the process faced a legal hurdle on March 21, 2025, when the Federal High Court in Lokoja granted an interim injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from receiving petitions aimed at initiating the recall. The Kogi Central Elites Forum addressed concerns regarding INEC’s role, clarifying that the electoral body’s involvement begins after the signature collection phase.
We are the ones that are doing the recall, the petitioners. We have to ensure that the required threshold is met before formally presenting it for verification. This is where INEC comes in,” they explained.
The forum also expressed disappointment in the senator’s conduct, stating, “Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan should come home and learn the art of law-making. It is not about content creation like many people have said.
As the situation unfolds, it emphasized the complexities of political accountability and the challenges of addressing allegations of misconduct within Nigeria’s legislative framework.