Taiwo Popoola
The Federal High Court, Lokoja, has granted an interim injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from receiving petitions for the purpose of initiating a recall process against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Urban Express News Online reports that the push to recall the suspended senator intensified on Thursday, with more groups in Kogi Central throwing their weight behind the process.
However, a group of Ebira indigenes refuted the claim that the recall process was being sponsored and influenced with money by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s political opponents.
Nevertheless, the court, which gave the order on Thursday, also restricted INEC staff, agents, privies, or assigns from accepting or acting on any petition containing fictitious signatures of purported members of the Kogi Central Senatorial District and from conducting any referendum pending the determination of the motion on notice to the same effect.
The court, according to the order paper made available to newsmen on Friday morning, granted the application following an ex-parte application for an interim injunction supported by an affidavit of extreme urgency.
The court processes were sworn to by Anebe Jacob Ogirima for himself and four others who are registered voters and constituents of the Kogi Central Senatorial District of Kogi State.
However, the application was moved by Smart Nwachimere, Esq., of West-Idahosa, SAN & Co., but the case has been adjourned to May 6, 2025, for a report of service and further mention.
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