The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially declared that the recall petition filed against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of the Kogi Central Senatorial District failed to meet the constitutional threshold, as outlined in Section 69(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
On Tuesday, April 2, 2025, INEC stated that the petitioners were expected to present at least 237,278 signatures—representing more than half of the 474,554 registered voters in the district. However, the submitted signatures totalled only 208,132, falling short by 29,146 signatures. This announcement came days after INEC had earlier flagged irregularities in the petition. On March 28, 2025, the Commission pointed out the absence of verifiable contact details from the petitioners, complicating the verification process and casting doubt on the legitimacy of the petition.
Meanwhile, on March 25, 2025, the Federal High Court in Lokoja issued an injunction restraining INEC from proceeding with any further steps on the recall petition until a motion on notice was heard and determined. Reacting to INEC’s final verdict, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan expressed gratitude to the Commission and her constituents. In a statement released on April 2, she hailed the decision as evidence of the people’s confidence in her leadership and condemned the recall effort as politically motivated. She also alleged that former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello was behind the petition.
This recall attempt has stirred controversy in the political landscape of Kogi State. On March 31, 2025, a group aligned with Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan defended her against accusations of underperformance, while reiterating concerns about the motives behind the recall process. INEC has since notified both the Senate and the lead petitioners of the petition’s failure to meet the required threshold. Unless a fresh petition meeting the constitutional requirements is submitted, the recall process has effectively been halted.
This failed petition marks a significant moment in Kogi Central’s political timeline and raises ongoing questions about the use of recall provisions as political tools rather than genuine expressions of voter dissatisfaction.
