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nigeria Electoral Body the Independent
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National Electoral Commission ANC has
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rejected the petition seeking the
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dismissal or recall of the West Africa
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Nation female senator natasha Akpati
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Udoran who is currently representing
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Kogi Central Senatorial District at the
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Senate Chamber of the Country National
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Assembly stating that the petitioners
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failed to meet the constitutional
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requirements for the recall process to
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scale through this apparently a
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continuation of the political drama that
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has ensued since the female senator
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accused the Senate President God's Will
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Actio of sexual harassment an egg in a
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statement a few hours ago narrated why
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the petition was rejected as presented
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verbatim below the commission held its
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regular weekly meeting today Thursday
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2025 among other issues the meeting
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considered and approved the report of
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its physical count of the signatures
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thumbrints forwarded with the petition
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for the recall of the senator
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representing Kogi Central Senatorial
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District in line with clause 2B of the
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regulations and guidelines for recall
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2024 the commission had assured
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Nigerians that it would handle the
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matter with fairness to the parties
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involved and in line with the provisions
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of the law and our regulations and
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first we ensured that the petitioners
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complied with the requirements for the
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submission of the petition secondly we
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notified the members sought to be
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recalled in writing copied the presiding
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officer of the Senate and simultaneously
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published the notice on our website
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thirdly we informed Nigerians that the
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next step would be to carefully
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ascertain the number of signatures
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thumbrints to ensure that the petition
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complies with the requirement of the law
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this exercise has now been completed for
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emphasis a petition for the recall of a
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senator must comply with the provision
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of section 69 of the constitution of the
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Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as
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amended which requires the signatures of
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more than 1/ half of the registered
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voters in the constituency the total
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number of registered voters in the Kogi
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Central Senatorial District is 454,554
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more than 1/2 of this figure that is 50%
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237,277 + 1 which is at least
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237,278 voters across the 92 polling
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units in 57 registration areas and five
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local government areas that make up the
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senatorial district the commission
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28,132 signatures thumbrints from the
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submission made by the petitioners this
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43.86% of the registered voters which
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falls short of the constitutional
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signitaries consequently the petition
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has not met the requirement of section
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69 of the constitution
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therefore no further action shall be
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taken on the recall of the senator in
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line with the provision of clause 2D of
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the regulations and guidelines for
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recall 2024 the commission has issued a
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public notice to that effect which is
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also copied to the presiding officer of
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the Senate the public notice along with
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a summary of the review of the
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signatures thumbprints of the
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petitioners which are disagregated by
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local government areas are available on
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our website and social media platforms
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for public information said Samamechin
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national commissioner and chairman
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information and voter education
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committee on Thursday the 3rd of April
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nigeria Senate President Godsil Akabio
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on Tuesday was alleged to have planned
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with the immediate past governor of Kogi
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state yayabello to assassinate Natasha
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Akpati the senator representing Kogi
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central senatorial district this the
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female lawmaker made the allegation in
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addition to her earlier allegation of
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sexual harassment leveled against the
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Nigeria third highest ranking government
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official which led to her being
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suspended by the Senate for 6 months and
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more actions taken apparently by her
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political enemies who may have
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encouraged her constituents to file a
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petition before the independent national
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electoral commission a neck to recall
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her from the National Assembly which she
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accused her political enemies of forging
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and gathering fake signatures to mislead
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Ank into doing a dirty job as such she
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was warned to cancel her homecoming
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rally and procession after the Kogi
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state governor Usmano banned political
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rally and procession in the state
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subsequently the Kogi State Command of
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the Nigeria Police Force issued a stern
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warning threat message on Tuesday
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morning that the political gathering may
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be hijacked by hoodlams based on
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intelligence gathering but despite the
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threats the people of Kogi state came
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out in a very large numbers to receive
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and honor the female senator who arrived
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the venue of the homecoming salah
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celebration with helicopter it would be
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recalled that there was a heated
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exchange that erupted recently at a
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Senate Ethics Committee hearing as
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Senator Onyeki and Weboni clashed with
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former education minister Obi Aquacilia
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over allegations involving suspended
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Senator Natasha Akotti Udwaran with two
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apparently losing their manners and
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started using insulting and foul words
5:38
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