Suspended lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission for rejecting the recall petition against her.

The commission on Thursday in  a statement on the recall process against the embattled senator said it failed to meet constitutional requirement.

“INEC, you did well,” Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan said in a tweet on Thursday, describing INEC’s declaration as “a victory for the people of Nigeria.”

The embattled lawmaker, however, declared that there were two more battles to conquer, expressing her satisfaction with the decision of the electoral body.

She said, “One battle down, two more to go. Deep gratitude to my beloved husband, awesome support team, magnificent people of Kogi Central and great people of Nigeria at large.”

Despite initially confirming formal receipt of the recall petition against Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan from some of her constituents, the electoral body on Thursday said “For emphasis, a petition for the recall of a senator must comply with the provision of Section 69(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) which requires the signatures of more than one-half of the registered voters in the constituency. The total number of registered voters in the Kogi Central Senatorial District is 474,554. More than one-half of this figure (i.e. 50%+1) is 237,277+1 which is at least 237,278 voters.’’

It added, “Across the 902 polling units in 57 registration areas and five local government areas that make up the senatorial district, the commission ascertained 208,132 signatures/thumbprints from the submission made by the petitioners. This translates to 43.86% of the registered voters which falls short of the constitutional requirement by 29,146 signatories. Consequently, the petition has not met the requirement of Section 69(a) of the Constitution. Therefore, no further action shall be taken on the recall of the senator.”

Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan has been in the news after Senate slammed her with a six-month suspension following violation of the House rules after she accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment. The lawmaker insisted her suspension was unconstitutional and an attempt to silence her. Mr Akpabio has also refuted the allegation. 

On Tuesday, the lawmaker visited her constituency for a Sallah break despite a curfew declared in the Okehi local government area of Kogi State.

Addressing a crowd of supporters, Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan said she would not stop fighting for her constituents, accusing the Kogi State Government of attempting to frustrate her homecoming visit.

The politician also accused Mr Akpabio of contracting both Governor Usman Ododo and former governor Yahaya Bello to implement her recall and assassination.

“But Akpabio was not satisfied; he then called for Yahaya Bello. It was Senator Asuqwo that drove Yahaya Bello to the Hiltons. I was informed,” Mrs Akpoti-Uduaghan said. “The meeting was in two folds; he told him to commence my recall. He was going to fund it. Of course, money changed hands that day. The second thing was that he should kill me,” the lawmaker claimed.