March 25, 2025 – A political firestorm is brewing in Nigeria’s Kogi State as a controversial recall petition targeting Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the first elected female senator from the state, has sparked widespread debate and allegations of fraud. The petition, submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on March 24, 2025, claims to have garnered over 250,000 signatures from constituents in Kogi Central Senatorial District—a figure that has raised eyebrows given the district’s voting history. The woman behind the petition, identified in a viral X post by user @magnificdude, is allegedly a close ally of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, who is currently wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for charges related to N80.2 billion in money laundering. This development has fueled speculation of a coordinated political attack against Senator Natasha, who has been at the center of multiple controversies in recent months.
The Recall Petition: A Question of Authenticity
The recall petition, submitted by a group called “Concerned Kogi Youths and Women” and led by Charity Ijoshe Omole, cites a loss of confidence in Senator Natasha due to alleged gross misconduct, abuse of office, and behavior deemed embarrassing to the people of Kogi Central. According to Omole, over 250,000 of the district’s 488,000 registered voters signed the petition, surpassing the threshold required by INEC to initiate a recall process under Section 69 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria. However, the numbers have drawn significant scrutiny. During the 2023 Kogi Central senatorial election, which Natasha won, only about 105,000 voters participated. The sudden surge to 250,000 signatures in 2025 has led many to question the petition’s authenticity, with some, like X user @OurFavOnlineDoc, sarcastically noting that “ghosts who did not exist to vote in 2023 are now magically interested in her recall in 2025.”
Further fueling suspicions of foul play are reports of deceptive tactics used to gather signatures. According to a March 19, 2025, investigation by SaharaReporters, politicians loyal to Yahaya Bello allegedly tricked residents into signing the petition under the guise of a fake empowerment program. Videos obtained by the outlet show residents claiming they were asked to bring their voter cards for financial aid, only to later discover their details were being used to support Natasha’s recall. One resident stated, “We are not here for the recall process of Natasha. We are here for an empowerment.” Such allegations have led to accusations that the recall effort is a politically motivated scheme rather than a genuine expression of constituent discontent.
Yahaya Bello’s Shadow: A Political Vendetta?
The X post by @magnificdude, which includes a photo of the woman who submitted the petition posing with Yahaya Bello, has intensified speculation about the former governor’s involvement. Bello, who governed Kogi State from 2016 to 2024, has a history of political rivalry with Natasha. In 2020, the Supreme Court dismissed Natasha’s appeal challenging Bello’s gubernatorial election victory, affirming Bello as the winner. More recently, Natasha’s 2023 senatorial win in Kogi Central—secured after a court ruling affirmed her as the rightful candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)—reportedly left Bello feeling “insulted,” according to X user @FemmyPatrick. This history has led many to believe that Bello is orchestrating the recall as a means of reclaiming political influence in the district, possibly with ambitions of securing the senatorial seat for himself.
Adding to the intrigue are allegations of a broader conspiracy involving Senate President Godswill Akpabio. SaharaReporters claims that Bello and Akpabio struck a $2 million (N3 billion) deal to finance the recall effort, with plans to manipulate INEC records by forging signatures and coercing the commission into validating fraudulent documents. While these claims remain unverified, they align with Natasha’s recent clashes with Akpabio, which have already made headlines.
Natasha’s Turbulent Tenure: From Harassment Allegations to Suspension
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has been a polarizing figure since her election in 2023. As one of only four women in Nigeria’s 109-member Senate, she has positioned herself as a vocal advocate for her constituents, often describing herself as representing the “Unbent, Unbowed, and Unbroken people of Kogi Central.” However, her tenure has been marred by controversy. In early March 2025, Natasha accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexually harassing her, alleging that his advances—and her refusal of them—led to her persecution within the Senate. She described the Senate as “a cult” where dissent is stifled, according to a BBC interview. Akpabio denied the allegations, and the Senate dismissed them as baseless, with Deputy Chief Whip Senator Onyekachi Nwebonyi calling them “highly suspicious” and timed to coincide with Natasha’s referral to the Senate Ethics Committee for misconduct.
The fallout was swift. On March 6, 2025, the Senate suspended Natasha for six months, citing “unruly and disruptive” behavior during a plenary session. The suspension, which bars her from the National Assembly premises, was decried by women’s rights activists as a “sad day for Nigerian women.” Hadiza Ado of the Women and Children Initiative told the BBC, “Out of 109 senators, only four are women, and one is now suspended.” Protests erupted in Abuja, with groups both supporting and opposing Natasha clashing outside the National Assembly.
Natasha has remained defiant, vowing to continue her “pursuit for justice.” In an Instagram post following the recall petition’s submission, she expressed confidence that “nothing fit shift her” from her position, stating, “I trust God say we go dey victorious, and I go remain di senator wey dey represent… Kogi Central till 2027.”
Public Reaction: A Divided Response
The recall petition and its surrounding allegations have elicited strong reactions on social media, particularly on X. The original post by @magnificdude, which has garnered significant attention, accuses the woman who submitted the petition of betraying her fellow women, stating, “Women do evil to their fellow women 
.” Replies to the post reflect a mix of outrage, skepticism, and cynicism about Nigerian politics. @INEMAniefiok01 simply wrote, “Shame!” while @Telling2public lamented, “Women supporting women in the mud.” Others, like @n_ikay_, expressed disillusionment with the state of the country, stating, “9ja na content. Very sorry if you’re reading this while living in it.”
Some users, however, see the recall as part of a larger political game. @Yemi-Daniels noted, “This is the lady fronting the recall of @NatashaAkpoti from the senate. She’s a close ally of Yahaya Bello. Now, the picture is getting clearer.” Meanwhile, @AishaYesufu issued a warning to INEC, urging the commission to apply the same scrutiny to this petition as it would to future recall efforts, hinting at a potential wave of recalls targeting other National Assembly members in 2025.
What’s Next for Senator Natasha?
The recall process in Nigeria is a multi-step procedure that requires INEC to verify the authenticity of the petition’s signatures and ensure that the necessary thresholds—more than 50% of registered voters in the constituency—are met. If the petition passes this stage, a referendum would be held to determine whether Natasha should be recalled. However, given the allegations of fraud and the questionable number of signatures, it remains uncertain whether the process will proceed.
For now, Natasha’s fate hangs in the balance as she navigates both the recall effort and her ongoing suspension from the Senate. Her case has become a lightning rod for broader discussions about gender, power, and political integrity in Nigeria. As the country watches this saga unfold, one thing is clear: the battle for Kogi Central’s senatorial seat is far from over, and the stakes have never been higher.
Premier League