Kogi Central Senator, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of bias in handling the recall process initiated against her.
In a letter dated March 26, 2025, released through her lawyer, Victor Giwa, Natasha criticized INEC for allowing petitioners to amend errors in their recall petition instead of rejecting it outright.
INEC had earlier stated that the petition, filed by some constituents seeking her removal, was defective due to missing key details such as contact addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses, as required by the Commission’s 2024 Recall Guidelines. However, the Commission’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education, Sam Olumekun, clarified that the petitioners could rectify these errors before the process continues.
Senator Natasha, however, condemned INEC’s decision, arguing that the petition should have been dismissed entirely for failing to meet the required standards. She accused the Commission of taking sides by guiding the petitioners on how to correct their mistakes, asserting that such actions compromised INEC’s neutrality.
Her letter read in part: “Your press release of March 25, 2025, signed by Sam Olumekun, clearly shows that the Commission has taken a partisan stance in favor of the petitioners. Rather than declaring the petition incompetent for lacking essential details, INEC has assumed the role of an adviser, instructing the petitioners on how to rectify their errors. This is a clear case of partiality.”
She insisted that INEC’s decision to permit amendments undermines due process and called on the Commission to uphold its integrity by rejecting the petition outright.
Natasha further questioned the validity of the petition, noting that all 250 signatories reportedly originated from Okene, Kogi State, raising concerns about the petition’s credibility.
She urged INEC to “do the needful and rebuild public trust, which is rapidly declining.”