Victor Giwa, one of the lawyers representing Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has accused the Kogi State Government of sponsoring the recall of the suspended female lawmaker as senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District.
Giwa, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme on Tuesday, said the state government, through Charity Omole, one of the aides of Governor Usman Ododo, has been championing the recall of Akpoti-Uduaghan.
The female federal lawmaker was involved in a seat arrangement dispute with Senate President Godswill Akpabio. The lawmaker also accused Akpabio of sexual harassment and abuse of office. The Senate subsequently suspended her for six months for misconduct.
On Monday, March 24, 2025, Ododo’s aide, Omole, led some constituents from Kogi Central to submit a petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for the recall of Akpoti-Uduaghan.
Giwa said the recall process was politically motivated by the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in the state against the suspended senator who is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“The truth of the matter is that there is no way the recall process can go through except it is done fraudulently,” Giwa said, adding that the process takes about 15 stages and “it is a tortuous and practically impossible process”.
Giwa faulted the reason for the recall of the female senator, saying it was not issue-based or performance-centred but because she accused Akpabio of sexual harassment.”
The lawyer accused the state government of sponsoring the recall process against Akpoti-Uduaghan using Omole.
He said, “In this case, the lady that led that protest is the senior special assistant to the governor of Kogi State on women and youths. You will see that is government-sponsored recall.
“Charity Ijese Omole is currently the senior special assistant to the governor of Kogi State on women and youths. It is more or less the government sponsoring this process, not the constituents, and that fundamentally has faulted the process.
“The process of recall must be such that is initiated from the constituents but in this case, we can see the handwriting on the wall; it is the governor that is trying to do whatever they claim they are doing.”
The state government has not reacted to the allegation as of press time.
