A Federal High Court in Lokoja has reversed a previous decision that blocked the processing of a recall petition against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, effectively endorsing the effort led by voters in Kogi Central.
In its recent ruling, the court declared that the recall process falls within the constitutional rights of the electorate and encouraged constituents to continue their campaign through lawful and peaceful channels.
The new judgment overturns an earlier interim order that had stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission from accepting any recall petitions or conducting a referendum pending further inquiry. The original injunction had been issued after an Ex-parte application was submitted by a group of registered voters, led by Anebe Jacob Ogirima, who argued that some signatures on the petition were allegedly fabricated.
Counsel for the petitioners, Smart Nwachimere, maintained that the presence of inauthentic signatures compromised the integrity of the recall effort. However, the court’s recent decision confirms the process as legally valid, signaling that the petition can now proceed under the full oversight of INEC.
The legal proceedings will resume on May 6, 2025, as the court continues to address the details surrounding the petition and the challenges raised by its detractors.
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