Natasha slams APC, INEC over petition to recall her from Senate 

She also alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is conniving with the APC to ensure her exit from the Red Chamber.

Akpoti-Uduaghan, who was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is embroiled in a battle to retain her seat, following ongoing petition to recall her.

This is coming soon after the embattled lawmaker was suspended for six months over alleged ‘gross misconduct’ and accusation of sexual harassment against the Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The lawmaker had defied attempts by the state government and the police to abort his meeting with her constituents on Tuesday by arriving the venue in a helicopter.

Addressing a mammoth crowd, who thronged the venue on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said: “From my personal perspective, what I see INEC doing is aiding and guiding petitioners on how to perfect their illicit acts.

“The first time the petition was submitted, they didn’t have address, phone numbers and all of that but INEC is out to guide them how to submit information that will perfect the petition.

“The petitioners, who were from the other party, the APC, now submitted a letterhead with an address that does not exist.”

INEC had recently acknowledged the receipt of the petition but pointed out some missing information about the petitioners.

Surprisingly, after admitting that the petition fell short of the legal stipulations for a recall process, the electoral umpire in a subsequent statement, claimed that the petitioners had now provided the missing information, including addresses and phone numbers.

Many hold the view that the INEC should have dismissed the petition as dead on arrival since it did not meet the requirements instead of seemingly siding an illegality.