Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan,
The Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, has issued an interim injunction barring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from receiving, accepting, or acting on any petition allegedly containing fictitious signatures aimed at initiating the recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The ruling also prevents INEC from conducting any referendum based on such a petition until further notice.
The court order followed an ex parte application filed by Anebe Jacob Ogirima and four other registered voters from the Kogi Central Senatorial District.
The plaintiffs argued that the recall process was being manipulated with fake signatures.
The application, presented by Smart Nwachimere, Esq., of West-Idahosa, SAN & Co., was granted on March 20, 2025.
Presiding over the case (Suit No. FHC/LKJ/CS/13/2025), Justice Isa H. Dashen ruled:
“An order of interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the Defendant (INEC), their staff, agents, privies, or assigns from receiving, accepting, or acting in any way on any purported petition submitted by any person or persons containing fictitious signatures and names of purported members of Kogi Central Senatorial District. The order also restrains INEC from conducting any referendum upon such a petition for the purpose of initiating a recall process of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.”
The court scheduled May 6, 2025, as the return date for a report of service and further proceedings.
The recall process has been a subject of controversy, with allegations that it is being orchestrated by a close ally of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
This comes amid tensions between Akpoti-Uduaghan and Akpabio, following accusations of sexual harassment leveled against the Senate President by the Kogi senator.
