A Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, has reversed its earlier ruling that stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting a recall petition against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
In a landmark judgment delivered on Friday, the court confirmed that the recall process is legally valid and aligns with the constitutional rights of her constituents. The ruling also encouraged the people of Kogi Central Senatorial District to continue exercising their civic rights in a peaceful and orderly manner.
This decision is a major development in the ongoing legal battle over the recall process, which has gained significant public attention. It comes just a day after the same court had issued an interim injunction temporarily preventing INEC, its staff, and agents from receiving or acting on any petition from the senator’s constituents.
The injunction also halted any plans by INEC to conduct a referendum that could have initiated the recall process. It was granted on Thursday following an Ex-parte application filed by Anebe Jacob Ogirima and four other registered voters from Kogi Central Senatorial District. The application, backed by an affidavit of extreme urgency, sought to delay the recall process until the court fully addressed the case.
The motion for the injunction was moved by Smart Nwachimere, Esq., of West-Idahosa and Co., who co-signed the legal documents supporting the case.
Now that the court has lifted the injunction, the recall process is back on track. The ruling reinforces the legitimacy of the petition, which has been gaining momentum as some constituents voice dissatisfaction with Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s performance. With this judgment, INEC can now proceed with the recall petition and take the next steps in the process.
