- Safiu Kehinde
Constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District have submitted the petition for the recall of suspended lawmaker, Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
NPO Reported that some stakeholders of Natasha’s constituency had last week initiated the recall process of the lawmaker over her six months suspension by the Senate and the ongoing sexual harassment scandal involving her and the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
While Natasha had initially dismissed the recall process which she claimed was staged, the constituents had reiterated their stance on the move for her recall.
The constituents, under the aegis of Concerned Kogi Youths and Women, confirmed INEC’S receival of the petition as they revealed the acknowledgement copy.
Speaking on behalf of the group, Omole Charity, maintained that the constituents’ decision to initate Natasha’s recall process was borne out of her suspension by the Senate, stressing that they cannot afford to be without a representative for six months.
“We no longer have confidence in her because of her gross misconduct in the Senate that led us to six months suspension where Kogi Central will not be represented at the National Assembly.
“We have gone to recall her back so we can a representative in the Senate. As a people, we cannot afford not to have a representative in the Senate arm for another one year.
“So, we are here to tell INEC to please follow the constitutional process for her recall.
“We have submitted our petition, and all other documents have been received.” she said.
On claims of being bankrolled to initiate the recall process, Chairty dismissed the claims, stressing that it was the constituents’ collective agreement.
She confirmed that the petition met INEC’s requirement as over 250,000 voters signed the petition out of the 488,000 registered voters across the Senatorial District.
“Talking about bankrolling, it is a personal thing. We are members of her constituents, and we are saying we don’t want her anymore because we cannot afford not to have a representative. Nobody is bankrolled. We are the one that voted her, and we are the ones that said we don’t want her anymore. We don’t have personal issues with her. It is just what it is. The game is the game.
“We all know the INEC rules that you cannot go and submit a petition without getting the number of registered voters. That is why we are now saying that as people, we are recalling her back from the Senate because we have gotten what it takes to recall back from the Senate.
“We have 488,000 registered voters in Kogi Central. And as I speak to you now, we have more than 250,000 voters that have signed for her recall.” She added.