Some voters from Kogi Central have submitted a petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recall their senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. They say they want a representative in the Senate and believe recalling her is the best option.

The recall process in Nigeria requires signatures from more than 50% of registered voters in the constituency. After that, INEC will verify the signatures and conduct a referendum. The process must be completed within 90 days.

Speaking on Monday, March 24, Charity Omole, who represents the petitioners, explained why they took this step.

“We need someone to represent us in the Senate. We have submitted our petition and expect INEC to follow the process,” she said.

Omole also dismissed claims that politicians outside the district are behind the recall. She said, “We voted for her, and now we don’t want her. No one is funding us, and this is not personal. It’s just the way politics works.”

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate on March 6. Her suspension followed a seating dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio. She had also accused Akpabio of sexual harassment shortly before the suspension.

Omole stated that over 250,000 of the 488,000 registered voters in Kogi Central signed the petition. INEC will now review the petition and begin verification. The electoral body will determine the next steps based on the legal process.

This recall effort will be closely watched as it unfolds in the coming weeks.