Senator Natasha had in the wake of a seat dispute with Akpabio accused the lawmaker of sexual harassment. Photo: Facebook@Natasha H Akpoti
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected the petition to recall the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has not met the requirements.
In a short statement on Thursday, the electoral commission said the petition to recall Senator Natasha did not meet constitutional requirements.
“The petition for the recall of the Senator representing the Kogi Central Senatorial District has not met the requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended),” INEC wrote on its X handle.
In an updated statement, INEC cited Section 69(a) of the Constitution, which stipulates that a petition to recall a senator needs the signatures of more than one-half of the registered voters in the lawmaker’s constituency.
“The total number of registered voters in the Kogi Central Senatorial District is 474,554. More than one-half of this figure (i.e. 50%+1) is 237,277+1, which is at least 237,278 voters,” the statement issued by INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information & Voter Education Committee Sam Olumekun read in part.
“Across the 902 Polling Units in 57 Registration Areas and five Local Government Areas that make up the Senatorial District, the Commission ascertained 208,132 signatures/thumbprints from the submission made by the petitioners.”
The development comes weeks after the electoral body rejected the petition to recall the embattled lawmaker, citing missing contact details. The petitioners later submitted the missing item, a fact INEC acknowledged.
But on Thursday, it said the petition did not meet all requirements for the recall of Senator Natasha as enshrined in Nigeria’s constitution.
“Consequently, the petition has not met the requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution. Therefore, no further action shall be taken on the recall of the Senator,” Olumekun said.
Senator Natasha was suspended for breaching Senate rules, prompting some of her constituents to initiate her recall. They claimed the move was to ensure their constituency did not lack representation following the suspension of the 45-year-old senator.
The lawmaker has made headlines in recent months after she accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment, a claim the Akwa Ibom lawmaker has equally denied.
She was thereafter suspended by the Red Chamber for violation of its rule of conduct.
On Tuesday, Senator Natasha received a rousing welcome by her constituents, despite the Kogi State Government’s ban on rallies and public gatherings. At the ceremony attended by a crowd of supporters in Okehi Local Government Area (LGA) of the North-Central state, she told the gathering that: “Nobody and nothing can stop me from coming home. I’m an Ebira woman; this is my land”.
