*A Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State capital, overrules an earlier ruling restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission from receiving the recall petition initiated by constituents of the Kogi Central Senatorial District against suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

Alexander Davis | 绿帽献妻

A Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State capital, has overruled an earlier ruling聽 restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from receiving the recall process initiated by constituents of the Kogi Central Senatorial District against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

绿帽献妻 reports the Federal High Court, in a landmark judgement delivered Friday, March 22, 2025, in Lokoja, affirmed that the recall process is constitutionally valid, and aligns with the civic rights of the constituents against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The Nigerian Senate recently suspended Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months over her disorderly behaviour, disrespect, and her failure to abide by the rule book of the Red Chamber of the National Assembly (NASS), in Abuja, FCT.

Earlier, she had accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment allegation while featuring in a programme aired on a private television show.

The Federal High Court, therefore, urged the constituents in Kogi Central Senatorial District to continue exercising their rights in an orderly and peaceful manner.

The latest development followed the court ruling Thursday, March 21, which granted an interim injunction restraining INEC, its staff, agents, privies or assigns from receiving, accepting or acting on any petition containing signatures of members of Kogi Central Senatorial District to initiate Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan’s recall process from the Senate.

The court also stopped INEC from conducting any referendum upon such a petition for the purpose of initiating a recall process of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan as Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, pending the determination of the Motion on Notice to the same effect.

The Judge granted the application, following an ex-parte application for interim, supported by an Affidavit of Extreme urgency together with other court processes sworn to by Anebe Jacob Ogirima for himself and four others, who are registered voters and constituents of the Kogi Central Senatorial District in the state.

Counsel to the applicant, Smart Nwachimere had argued that the recall petitions contained fictitious signatures from purported constituents.

The injunction, however, restrains INEC, its staff, and agents from receiving or accepting recall petitions with fake signatures and conducting any referendum, based on such petitions.

Meanwhile, the court case has been adjourned to May 6, 2025, for further hearing, according to report.