The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may conduct a referendum within 90 days to ascertain the fate of suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District. This follows the submission of a recall petition by her constituents last week. INEC is currently verifying the signatures submitted by petitioners as required by its regulations. More than half of the 474,554 registered voters in Kogi Central must have endorsed the petition for the recall to proceed. If this threshold is met, the commission will issue a public notice specifying the date, time and location of the referendum. Otherwise, it will announce the petition’s failure.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate on March 6 over alleged gross misconduct following a dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The petition, which cites loss of confidence, accuses her of abuse of office and deceit. Analysts cautioned that previous recall attempts in Nigeria have often failed due to verification challenges. Civil society leaders are calling for reforms to simplify the recall process and ensure accountability in governance.
