LOKOJA, Nigeria – The Federal High Court in Lokoja has issued an interim injunction preventing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting or acting on petitions seeking to recall Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senator representing Kogi Central.
The order, granted on Thursday, March 20, 2025, follows an ex-parte application supported by an “affidavit of extreme urgency” filed by five registered voters from the district.
The applicants, led by Anebe Jacob Ogirima, argued that the petitions contained fictitious signatures and names of purported constituents.
They were represented by Smart Nwachimere of West-Idahosa, SAN & Co. The court order restrains INEC and its representatives from receiving, accepting, or acting on any petitions related to the recall process.
It also prohibits the commission from conducting a referendum on the matter until the substantive case is resolved.
“That an interim injunction is granted restraining the defendant, staff, agents, privies or assigns from receiving, accepting or acting in any way whatsoever on any purported petitions submitted to the defendant by any person or persons whatsoever, containing fictitious signatures and names of purported members of the said district and conducting any referendum to initiate a recall process of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as senator pending the determination of the motion,” the court order stated.
The order and the motion on notice are to be served on INEC, effectively halting any further action on the recall process.
The development comes after videos circulated on social media on Wednesday showing constituents allegedly signing documents as part of the recall effort.
A source in Kogi had confirmed that the process was underway, sparking controversy and raising questions about its legitimacy.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has been at the centre of political tensions since her suspension from the Senate on 6 March for “gross misconduct.”
The suspension followed a seating arrangement dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Earlier, Akpoti-Uduaghan had accused Akpabio of sexual harassment, a claim he has denied.
The recall process, if allowed to proceed, would have required INEC to verify the signatures on the petitions and conduct a referendum in which at least 50% of registered voters in Kogi Central would need to vote in favour of the recall for it to succeed.
