Federal Court Shields Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan from Controversial Recall Plot
– INEC Barred from Acting on Alleged Fictitious Petition Amid Power Tussle in Senate
LOKOJA, KOGI STATE – March 20, 2025 | IDNN POLITICS & POWER
In a dramatic twist to an unfolding political storm, the Federal High Court in Lokoja has thrown a legal shield around Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, halting what many have described as a politically motivated recall attempt rooted in deep Senate rivalries.
Justice Isa H. Dashen, presiding over Suit No. FHC/LKJ/CS/13/2025, granted an interim injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting, processing, or acting upon any petition seeking to recall the Kogi Central senator—especially one “containing fictitious signatures” allegedly forged to simulate grassroots support for her removal.
The court’s decision follows an ex parte motion backed by an affidavit of “extreme urgency” filed by Anebe Jacob Ogirima and four other constituents of the Kogi Central Senatorial District. The plaintiffs, represented by Smart Nwachimere, Esq., of West-Idahosa, SAN & Co., told the court that the recall process was illegitimate and tainted with forgery.
Justice Dashen’s ruling delivered on Thursday, March 20, restrains INEC and its agents from conducting any referendum or acting in any way that furthers the recall campaign, pending further proceedings scheduled for May 6, 2025.
Political Undercurrents: Senate Showdown in Disguise?
While the legal angle is commanding headlines, the political undertones are even louder. Sources allege that the failed recall move may have been orchestrated by a loyalist of Senate President Godswill Akpabio—a claim fueling speculation of revenge politics in the upper chamber.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has been a vocal critic of Akpabio and recently accused the Senate President of sexual harassment—an allegation that has rocked the National Assembly and raised serious questions about gender power dynamics in Nigeria’s political elite.
The timing of the recall petition, coming on the heels of those damning allegations, has led many to see the attempted removal as nothing more than political retribution disguised as grassroots activism.
What This Means
This ruling not only protects Akpoti-Uduaghan’s seat—for now—but also sets the stage for a legal and political battle that could redefine power play in the Senate. It highlights the increasing use of recall mechanisms not as democratic tools, but as weapons of political vendetta.
As Nigerians await May 6 for the next chapter of this legal saga, all eyes remain fixed on whether the Senate leadership will respond—or retaliate.
