The Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye, over alleged forgery of signatures in the ongoing recall process against her.
According to Saturday PUNCH, the petitions were submitted to the IG and the state police commissioner on Friday afternoon.
The recall process began when some members of Akpoti-Uduaghan’s constituency, led by Charity Ijese, submitted a petition with over 250,000 signatures to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja, seeking her removal from office.
This development follows her suspension from the Senate on March 6 over alleged gross misconduct, shortly after she accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment.
INEC acknowledges petition but notes irregularities
On Tuesday, INEC confirmed receiving the petition through its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun. However, the commission pointed out that it lacked essential details such as the contact addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses of the petitioners.
A day later, INEC informed Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Akpabio that the missing details had been corrected.
Amidst the controversy, leaked video clips surfaced on social media, showing some politicians in Kogi State appending signatures to the petition, further raising suspicions about its authenticity.
Many questioned how over 250,000 people could have signed the petition within 10 days, especially when only 120,000 voters participated in the 2023 senatorial election in the district.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s legal team alleges forgery
Speaking to Saturday PUNCH, the senator’s lawyer, Victor Giwa, confirmed that her legal team had petitioned the police over the alleged forgery. A copy of the petition is also expected to be submitted to INEC.
“We are aware that those signatures were forged, and it is the act of APC members in Kogi State, who are desperate to remove her,” Giwa stated.
He emphasized that the police must investigate the forgery claims before INEC proceeds with the recall process, adding that forgery is a criminal offence that falls under police jurisdiction.
“INEC does not have the materials to examine a case of forgery. Their role is to verify if the submitted signatures match the ones signed by the owners. Since we are alleging forgery, only the police can handle that. The petitioners should present the signatures, and the police should conduct forensic tests to confirm their authenticity,” Giwa added.
Ebira People’s Association condemns recall process
Meanwhile, the Ebira People’s Association (EPA) has strongly condemned the recall effort, describing it as a politically motivated attack on Akpoti-Uduaghan and an attempt to undermine democracy.
Speaking to Saturday PUNCH, EPA Secretary Baba Abdulrazaq called the process an “electoral fraud” and a “coup against democratic institutions.”
He accused INEC of facilitating an illegitimate recall effort by providing undue support to individuals he described as “impostors and dissidents.”
“The Independent National Electoral Commission has illegally provided support to impostors, dissidents, and petitioners who claim to have gathered 250,000 forged and stolen signatures,” Abdulrazaq stated.
With tensions rising, all eyes are now on INEC and the police as investigations into the alleged forgery unfold.
