Constituents from Kogi Central Senatorial District have expressed their gratitude to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for confirming the validity of 208,132 (43.86%) of the signatures submitted in their petition to recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the suspended representative from the district.
Although the petitioners had initially gathered more than the required 50% plus one threshold of registered voters, the validation of 43.86% by INEC reaffirmed that a significant portion of Kogi Central’s population no longer supports the embattled senator.
The petitioners pointed out that over 35,000 signatures were disqualified during the administrative process but emphasized that the remaining validated signatures showed strong support for their cause.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Salihu Habib, representing the petitioners, reaffirmed their commitment to pushing forward with the recall.
“We will continue working with INEC in accordance with the law to ensure transparency throughout the process,” he said.
The constituents also expressed appreciation to INEC for addressing doubts raised by critics about the authenticity of their petition.
“We thank INEC for confirming that the majority of Kogi Central’s residents are backing this initiative and that we did not fabricate support, as some had falsely claimed,” they added.
The petitioners reiterated that the recall was driven by concerns over Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s alleged misconduct and divisiveness.
“Our goal is to restore honorable and effective representation to Kogi Central. We cannot allow a representative who prioritizes political survival over the welfare of the people,” they asserted.
They also condemned the Senator’s recent remarks, calling them inflammatory.
“The nation witnessed her rally last Tuesday where she made comments that could fuel division, not only in Kogi but across the entire country. How can any responsible Senator accuse other parts of the nation of sabotaging Kogi and the North simply because LNG plants are located there? How can she attempt to create discord between the North and South?”
The constituents vowed to pursue every lawful and constitutional option available to ensure that their voices are heard and respected.
“After God, power belongs to the people,” they concluded.