Constituents of Kogi Central Senatorial District have expressed their appreciation to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for validating 208,132 (43.86%) of the signatures submitted in their petition for the recall of the suspended lawmaker, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
While the petitioners had initially gathered signatures surpassing the 50% plus one threshold required, they acknowledged that INEC’s validation of nearly 44% further affirmed their position that the majority of Kogi Central constituents no longer support their representative.
The constituents noted that INEC had canceled over 35,000 signatures during the administrative review stage, yet maintained that the validation process proved the majority sentiment in the district.
In a statement released on Thursday, Salihu Habib, speaking on behalf of the petitioners, affirmed their commitment to pursuing the recall process.
“We will continue to engage with INEC, ensuring that the handling of our petition is transparent and in full accordance with constitutional regulations,” he stated.
The constituents also thanked INEC for debunking claims made by critics who questioned the legitimacy of their petition.
“We appreciate INEC for making it clear that the people of Kogi Central overwhelmingly support this recall effort, and we did not, as some have suggested, fabricate support,” they said.
The petitioners reaffirmed their determination to proceed with the recall, citing Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s alleged misconduct and divisiveness as the driving factors behind their actions.
“We are resolute in our effort to restore dignified and effective representation for Kogi Central. We cannot accept a representative who will say or do anything to remain politically relevant,” they stated.
They also condemned the Senator’s recent remarks, which they described as dangerous and divisive.
“The whole nation witnessed her recent rally where she made comments that could inflame tensions, not only in Kogi but across Nigeria. How can a responsible Senator accuse other regions of sabotaging Kogi and the North simply because LNG plants are located here? How can she attempt to drive a wedge between the North and the South?”
The constituents vowed to continue utilizing all lawful and constitutional means to ensure their voices are heard and their wishes respected.
“After God, power belongs to the people,” they declared.
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