BREAKING: Fresh twist as court bars INEC from receiving petition to recall Natasha amid rift with Akpabio

• The Federal High Court successful Lokoja has issued an interim injunction preventing INEC from receiving oregon acting connected a petition seeking to callback Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan
• The tribunal barred INEC from processing petitions with alleged fictitious signatures and from conducting a referendum pending further ineligible proceedings
• The plaintiffs’ ineligible squad hailed the ruling arsenic a triumph for owed process, portion governmental analysts highlighted its value successful ensuring transparency successful electoral matters

Lokoja, Kogi state – The Federal High Court sitting successful Lokoja has issued an interim injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from receiving immoderate petition aimed astatine initiating a callback process against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District.

The ruling, delivered connected Thursday, March 20, prevents INEC, its staff, agents, privies, oregon assigns from accepting oregon acting upon immoderate petition allegedly containing fictitious signatures from purported members of Kogi Central.

The tribunal intervenes successful a petition to INEC seeking the contiguous callback of Kogi Senator Natasha amid a quality with Akpabio. Photo credit: @Senator_Akpabio/@NatasahAkpoti
Source: Twitter

In a connection cited by Legit.ng connected Friday, March 21, the tribunal besides barred the electoral committee from conducting immoderate referendum based connected specified petitions pending the determination of the Motion connected Notice.

Court Ruling Based connected Urgency

According to an bid insubstantial made disposable to journalists connected Friday, March 21, the tribunal granted the exertion pursuing an ex-parte question for interim injunction.

The question was supported by an affidavit of utmost urgency, on with different tribunal processes sworn to by Anebe Jacob Ogirima connected behalf of himself and 4 different registered voters from Kogi Central Senatorial District.

The ineligible squad representing the plaintiffs was led by Smart Nwachimere, Esq., from West-Idahosa, SAN & Co.

Legal squad reacts

Speaking aft the tribunal ruling, Nwachimere described the injunction arsenic a triumph for democracy, emphasizing the value of owed process.

“The court’s determination reinforces the rule that immoderate callback process indispensable travel the instrumentality and not beryllium based connected fraudulent claims. Our clients, arsenic registered voters, person the close to situation immoderate effort to manipulate the process,” helium said.

Political tensions successful Kogi central

The tribunal rules connected a petition submitted to INEC calling for the contiguous callback of Kogi Senator Natasha successful a lawsuit involving Akpabio. Photo credit: @NatashaAkpoti
Source: Facebook

The injunction follows rising governmental tensions in Kogi state, wherever allegations of attempts to region Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan person sparked debates implicit the legitimacy of the callback process.

A governmental analyst, Dr. Bamidele Ajayi, weighed successful connected the situation, stating: “This ruling is important arsenic it prevents a perchance flawed process from proceeding. It besides highlights the request for transparency and credibility successful electoral matters.”

With the interim injunction successful place, INEC is present restricted from taking further enactment until the Motion connected Notice is determined by the court.

The lawsuit is expected to acceptable a ineligible precedent for electoral disputes successful Nigeria, peculiarly concerning the callback of elected officials.

SERAP sues legislature president

Previously, Legit.ng reported that the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a suit against the Senate President, Mr. Godswill Akpabio, implicit the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The suit challenges the legality of her suspension, arguing that it violates her cardinal quality rights and the rights of her constituents to governmental participation.

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Source: Legit.ng