Natasha: INEC Sends Message to Akpabio After Failed Recall Process
- Senate President Godswill Akpabio has been formally informed about the INEC decision to reject the petition seeking to recall embattled Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan
- INEC had announced its decision to reject the petition, citing failure of the petition to meet the constitutional requirement to recall a senator
- Natasha, the Kogi central senator currently on a six-month suspension for violation of Senate rules, has accused Akpabio of sexual harassment
Lokoja, Kogi – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally informed Godswill Akpabio, the president of the Nigerian Senate, about its decision to reject a petition which sought to recall suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan.
According to the electoral commission, the petition failed to meet the constitutional requirement to sack Natasha, the Kogi Central senator, who was under six months suspension for not adhering to the Senate standing rules.
INEC has formally informed Godswill Akpabio that it has rejected a petition seeking to recall Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan
Photo Credit: @SPNigeria, @NatashaAkpotiSource: Twitter
Why INEC rejected petition to recall Natasha
INEC, in a statement on Thursday, April 3, noted that the petition failed to meet the constitutional requirements as mentioned in Section 69(a) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
The commission explained that the petition was signed by 208,132 out of the 474,554 registered voters in the Kogi Central senatorial district, which represented 43.86% of the official electorate. However, the signatories did not meet the mandated number of “at least 50% + 1 of registered voters in the constituency”
It further noted that no further explained that no further action would be entertained on the matter again, suggesting that INEC would no longer accept any petition to recall the senator.
Natasha accused Akpabio of sexual harassment
Recall that Natasha accused the Senate President Godswill Akpabio of systematically silencing her since she rejected sexual advances from him. She has claimed on different media platforms, claimed that Akpabio sexually harassed her.
Her recall process started after the suspension and the challenging of the Senate president in court for sexual harassment. However, INEC ruled out the recall as it failed to comply with the constitution on two occasions and explained that no further action would be taken on it.
Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan has alleged that Godswill Akpabio sexually harassed her
Photo Credit: @SPNigeriaSource: Twitter
Natasha reacts as INEC rejects recall process
Reacting to the development in a statement she signed and sent to TheTalk.NG on Thursday, April 3, the suspended Senator said God has put her political enemies from the Senate and the immediate past governor of Kogi state, Yahaya Bello, to shame. The statement reads in part:
“God has put to shame anti-democratic forces plotting my recall from the Senate, including one of the most wanted person by the EFCC, former governor Yahaya Bello.”
Natasha explained that the decision of INEC is the voice of the people and God, adding that nobody, including Yahaya Bello and Senate President Akpabio, as well as their associates, can toy with the mandate given to her by the Kogi Central people.
Natasha called out Akpabio, Yahaya Bello
TheTalk.NG earlier reported that the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti Uduaghan has again called out Senate President Godswill Akpabio, over an alleged report that her rally in Kogi could be hijacked by hoodlums.
Natasha, in a statement on Tuesday, April 1, also called out Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi and his predecessor, Yahaya Bello, making the same allegation against them as that of Akpabio.
The senator’s allegations against the trio came hours after the police urged her to suspend her homecoming rally, citing a security report of possible hijacking of the event by hoodlums.
Source: TheTalk.NG
