Rejoinder: Why the Recall of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan is Justified

Constitutional Right of Recall

The ongoing recall process against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan represents a legitimate constitutional exercise driven by constituent dissatisfaction, not political maneuvering as some claim. Section 69 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution (as amended) clearly empowers electorates to recall underperforming representatives when supported by verified petitions.

Accountability in Leadership

Rather than addressing constituent concerns, the Senator and supporters have dismissed the recall as fraudulent. This response raises important questions about political accountability in Nigeria’s democracy. If over 250,000 signatures were indeed forged as claimed, the INEC verification process would expose this.

Failure to Prioritize Constituency Interests

The core responsibility of any senator includes legislation and representation of constituency interests. Evidence suggests Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan has prioritized personal interests over Kogi Central’s development needs:

• Chose suspension over apologizing to Senate, compromising representation
• Focused on reclaiming Local Content Committee position rather than Steel Development Committee that could benefit Ajaokuta Steel revival
• Failed to deliver meaningful legislation or infrastructure projects

Disconnect from Constituents

During her six-month Senate suspension, the Senator made no effort to explain her position to constituents. This demonstrates a troubling disconnect from the people she was elected to serve. Claims that signatories were “deceived” insult the electorate’s intelligence and mirror past instances where the Senator disparaged Kogi State residents.

Democratic Process Must Prevail

The recall represents a constitutional check on representation, not political persecution. Key considerations include:

• INEC must conduct transparent verification of petition signatures
• If threshold met, referendum should proceed without interference
• Opponents should convince constituents of the Senator’s merits rather than blocking the process

Kogi Central deserves quality representation aligned with their development needs. The recall process allows constituents to exercise their democratic right to demand better leadership when their representative fails to deliver.

By Engr Ira Habib