By Theophilus Chibuzo Oliver

The Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, has granted approval for the recall process of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, lifting the previous restraining order placed on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The ruling, issued on 22 March 2025, follows a series of political and legal controversies surrounding the senator.

This development comes after Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual assault during a television interview on Arise News in February 2025. She alleged that the incident occurred on 8 December 2023. The interview followed a heated plenary session where she protested the reallocation of her seat in the Senate chamber, citing Order 10 of the Senate Standing Rules, which she argued had been violated. However, Senate President Akpabio dismissed her motion, stating that she was speaking from an unauthorised seat and could not invoke the order.

Tensions escalated as Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan accused Akpabio of attempting to silence her and obstructing her legislative contributions, including delaying the second reading of a bill she had sponsored. The situation nearly led to security personnel removing her from the chamber, but intervention from fellow senators prevented this.

As a result, Senator Adeyemi Raphael Adaramodu (Ekiti South) moved a motion to address her conduct. The matter was subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions for investigation. On 6 March 2025, she was suspended for six months without salary or allowances for allegedly breaching Senate rules and causing disorder in the chamber.

Following her suspension, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan addressed the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) at the United Nations in New York on 11 March 2025, where she described her suspension as “illegal” and reflective of the systemic challenges faced by women in Nigerian politics. She stated: “I am not here to bring shame to my country; I am here to bring help to the women of our country.” She further detailed the punitive measures imposed on her, including her salary being withheld and her restricted access to the National Assembly for six months. She characterised the situation as “political victimisation” and called for international support.

Her speech sparked further controversy within the Nigerian Senate, raising questions about who authorised her participation in the conference. Shortly after, on 19 March 2025, constituents from Kogi Central Senatorial District initiated a recall process, expressing dissatisfaction with her conduct, suspension, and public disputes with Senate leadership.

In response, the Federal High Court in Lokoja initially issued an interim injunction preventing INEC from proceeding with the recall process. The court’s intervention aimed to ensure that due process was followed and to address concerns regarding the legitimacy and motivations behind the recall. However, on 22 March 2025, the same court set aside its previous ruling, granting INEC the authority to proceed with the recall process initiated by Kogi Central constituents.

This ruling highlights the legal complexities surrounding the recall process and the judiciary’s role in interpreting and enforcing the Nigerian Constitution. As the recall process unfolds, it remains to be seen whether this will establish a precedent for political accountability in Nigeria or serve as another chapter in the nation’s evolving political landscape.

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