Court okays embattled Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s Recall

Nigeria: A Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja Kogi State capital has set aside an earlier ruling that restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from receiving the recall process initiated by constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The court  in a judgement delivered in Lokoja on Friday affirms that the recall process is constitutionally valid and aligns with the civic rights of the constituents.

The court urged the constituents to continue exercising their rights in an orderly and peaceful manner.

The development was after the court on Thursday granted an interim injunction restraining INEC, its staff, agents, privies or assigns from receiving, accepting or acting on any petition containing signatures of members of Kogi Central Senatorial District.

The court also stopped INEC from conducting any referendum upon such petition for the purpose of initiating a re-call process of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria pending the determination of the Motion on Notice to the same effect.

The court granted the application following an Ex-parte application for interim supported by an Affidavit of Extreme urgency together with other court processes sworn to by Anebe Jacob Ogirima for himself and four others who are registered voters and constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District of Kogi State.

Counsel to the applicant, Smart Nwachimere, argued that the recall petitions contained fictitious signatures from purported constituents.

The injunction however restrains INEC, its staff, and agents from receiving or accepting recall petitions with fake signatures and conducting any referendum based on such petitions

The case has been adjourned to May 6, 2025, for further mentioning.

What is a Recall Process

In politics, a recall process is a mechanism that allows citizens to remove elected officials from office before their term is completed.

This process typically involves the circulation of petitions by organizers, the evaluation of signatures by election officials, and a public vote if the petitions are deemed to have sufficient valid signatures.

The process varies with some requiring specific grounds for the recall, such as malfeasance or abuse of power. In other grounds, the recall can be initiated for any reason.

A recall election can take different forms, including a simple yes or no vote on whether to recall the official, a contested vote between the targeted official and one or more challengers, or a simultaneous vote to recall the official and select a replacement if the official is recalled.

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